


Majime

by Graymalkyn



Series: Little headcanons [1]
Category: Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi
Genre: Beginnings, Canon divergence - Headcanon, Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Kissing, M/M, Multi, Polyamory Negotiations, Sexuality, Slow Burn, Unrequited
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-07-19 16:50:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7369939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graymalkyn/pseuds/Graymalkyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Canon divergence, Headcanon] After a rough start, Hatori and Yoshino become lovers. But Yoshino's naivete and indecision, as well as his closeness to Hatori's rival in love, Yanase Yuu, make Hatori question whether it's worth pursuing the romance. Mino Kanade, a shoujo editor at Marukawa, has been following Hatori's journey of self-discovery. Seeing his coworker at a crossroads, Mino decides to offer Hatori some help. His involvement, however, bodes change in the couple as well as in himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Downtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hatori has had enough of Yoshino's unawareness. His mind is almost set on breaking up with him, but then he encounters Mino, who offers him an alternative that can save or separate the couple.

What must you do to forget the love of your life? 

It would surely be easier to cut out your own heart and pretend you’re still alive. It would be far simpler if people could be reprogrammed; have their memories cleared, let them turn over a new leaf. But erasing the memories he had of Yoshino would practically be to extricate himself from his own life. 

Tori’s heart kept prodding him, _“How can you let go of it so meekly, without a fight?”_  Oh, but there had been a fight. Too many of them, in fact. That glass had not only been filled, but it had overflowed and cracked under the pressure of his unrequited affection. 

At first, there had been this element of uncertainty, of fear. Loving a man was not what either of them had been raised to do. Loving his best friend, however... Loving his best friend was scary, because there was too much to lose.

Had he taken advantage of the relationship that they had built for years? Yoshino had always been kind to him. Yes, he had plenty of bad habits, but unlike him, that man was pure. It had been his own delusion, his own unfulfilled fantasies that had turned into poison and had taken over him. By the time he realized that, it was already too late: the whole relationship had become twisted beyond repair. 

 _“You’re still making excuses for that man,”_ his brain sighed. “ _Forgive him for his own stupidity,”_ his heart murmured, _“just as you always do.” “You’ll chalk it up to his innocence, his lightheartedness,”_ the brain protested. _“When will enough be enough, Tori?”_

He didn’t know. He’d never thought the day would come when he got so tired of seeing Yoshino flutter around that other guy. That fruitless love was killing him, and yet, the thought of living without him was killing him as well. 

His feet had led him back to the office. He let out a bitter chuckle. So, he’d come to bury himself in his work. Yoshino’s creation would be his shroud. How fitting. From the very beginning, that love had taken him down the self-destruction path. Perhaps it was time to finish it all. 

As he approached the office, he noticed there was still one light on. _Please, let it be anyone but Kisa,_ he thought. To his great relief, it was Mino, still sorting out material for the presentation he would have to make the next day.

“Ah, Hatori! Back at this time?” Mino smiled tiredly. “I thought you’d said you were done for the day.”

Tori nodded softly. “I was done, yes.” 

“Is everything alright?” 

“Yes. Same old. Artists and deadlines, you know.” He left his coat on Takano’s desk and sat down heavily on his chair, staring at his laptop for a few seconds before logging in. 

Mino didn’t say anything. He just smiled and stood up. “Need any copies? I’m about to go fetch mine, but I can wait for yours if you want.”

“Not now, thank you.” Tori rubbed his face and looked at the time. “Shouldn’t you get going? Your kid---”

“Yamato is at a summer camp the swimming club set up. He’ll be gone for the next two weeks.”

“Got it.” He heard Mino’s peaceful footsteps going for the copies and sighed quietly. The mouse pointer hovered over Yoshino’s folder, but he couldn’t bring himself to open it. What had happened was bound to affect his job, he knew it. He would have to muster all of his strength and put on a brave face. Would Takano notice? He was sharper than any of them would like him to be. 

“Say, Hatori... Are you sure everything is alright?” Mino’s voice startled him. When had he returned? 

“Yeah, it’s nothing.”

“Huh.” Mino left his copies in a binder. “You know, I’ve been working on a rotation plan. That will be part of my proposal. Would you like to exchange authors with me?”

“Um... Pardon?”

“I am aware that Yoshikawa Chiharu is far more popular than my authors, but I was wondering if perhaps such a change would benefit our relationship with them. Kisa could take Onodera’s, and Onodera is likely to get Takano’s. Oh, but it would be only for the end-of-summer edition.”

“That...” Tori blinked. Time. Distance. Maybe that’s all they needed. There was a glimmer of hope shining in the distance, and he didn’t know if he should hate himself for feeling that. “That would be nice. I hope Takano agrees to it.”

“I can be persuasive when I want, and if that helps the second editor-in-chief, it will be done.”

Tori’s eyes darted to Mino. It might have been a trick of the light, but the smile that man usually sported seemed softer now and his sleepy eyes appeared to be watching him attentively. Hatori felt a shiver running down his spine. What was it that Takano always said? Tread carefully around Mino? He could see why, although he had always found comfort in the quietness of the man sitting beside him. 

“Well then,” Tori mumbled, “good luck with that. I uh... I seem to have misplaced my copies and my fountain pen. I’m going to...”

“You haven’t made any copies yet,” Mino reminded him softly as he handed him a blue pen. “And you can borrow mine.”

Tori’s fingers reached out for it, but Mino grabbed him by the wrist with his free hand and pulled his rolling chair towards him. 

“Say, Hatori-san...” His eyes were open now, and both men were close enough for Tori to realize that Mino’s dark irises were different from each other. The right one was steel, and the left one whiskey. “Are you sure that everything is alright...?”

* * *

Takano watched Onodera hand out the copies to the others. “Listen, guys. The higher-ups liked Mino’s proposal, so we’ll be swapping one of our authors for the _Emerald Special Summer Folly Edition_. It’s the first time that any of the departments has done such a thing, so it’ll be groundbreaking work.”

“But if Isaka-san approved of it, it means he thinks it’ll sell, right?” Tori wondered. “He’s got a good nose for business.”

“That man’s got a scary sense of smell when it comes to money,” Kisa commented as he leafed through the proposal. “Kinda like swine and truffles.”

“Be more discreet, Kisa,” Mino reminded him merrily. “You know Isaka-san also has big ears.”

Kisa shuddered and stuck out his tongue. “So, how shall we go about it? Should we draw sticks? Ooh, can I please _not_ get Yoshikawa-sensei? I’d like to be able to have a quiet summer, thank yooou!”

“Oh, no need to worry!” Mino reassured him. “ _I_ will be handling that one.”

“Uwaaah! Are you sure? You know what he’s like with deadlines…”

“Still, it’s Mino we’re talking about,” Takano said, clearing his throat. “Remember...?”

“Yeah…” Kisa and Tori murmured, hanging their heads.

“… I feel like I’m missing something,” Onodera muttered to himself.

“In any case, yes, I think Mino will be able to work with Yoshikawa quite well. Kisa, you’ll work with Mutou-sensei, and I’ll be working with one of yours. Onodera can take over one of mine. Hatori, you… Are you following?” Takano cocked his head. “You looked a bit distracted just now.”

Tori cleared his throat. “Sorry. I was pondering some things…” He looked through the planning and said out loud, “Er, yours is Sagawa-sensei, isn’t it… Mino?” He tried to avoid looking at his coworker. Every time he did, he remembered the night before, when he’d seen a side of Mino Kanade that he had _suspected_ but never witnessed before.

“Yes,” Mino grinned as he sat down. “Don’t worry, working with her will be no trouble whatsoever.” He leaned towards Tori and added in a low voice, “She’s been trained well…”

**. . .**

_“What you’re asking… I wouldn’t know what to say,” Tori finally answered._

_Mino let go of his coworker’s wrist and pulled back. “Then don’t say anything, but don’t lie. We have known each other for some years now, and even though we’re not close friends, I’m glad to count you among the people I can trust.” He stood up. “If something’s going on that might affect your performance or Yoshikawa-sensei’s, we must know it.” He looked away and collected his things from the desk. “Besides, Yoshikawa-sensei could use a little more discipline. However much his works rake in, it’s not enough if he’s exhausting one of the precious resources of the company.”_

_Tori’s eyes opened wide. “What are you talking about?”_

_Mino slung the strap of his leather bag over his shoulder. “Isn’t it obvious?” he smiled. “I’m talking about you.”_

**. . .**

“We should make the phone calls today; better to introduce ourselves once more and give them a heads-up as soon as possible,” Takano went on. “Make sure the artists understand that this is their opportunity to try something new. As Mino pointed out at the meeting, there’s a chance one of them is holding a diamond in the rough and is sitting on it just because they haven’t had time to develop it: we’ll be there to make it happen. Am I forgetting something?”

“There’s a fair mentioned on page 5?” Onodera replied.

“Yes, thank you. We’ll have a fair for each artist in their hometown. What you want to promote and how each artist will make their work stand out from the rest is up to you and your editorial skills.”

“I’m rather excited about this,” Onodera smiled, nodding at Mino approvingly.

“I know, right?” Kisa rubbed his hands. “Say, Takano… Is there a chance we’ll get a bonus if our artist outsells themselves?”

“There will be an incentive, yes.”

“Yay!” Kisa squealed. “ _Now_ it’s on, Ricchan! Mutou and I will kick your ass!”

“By the way, Kisa…” Takano said casually, “Morimoto-sensei lives in Fukuoka, doesn’t she? I’ll be paying her a visit in two weeks. Onodera, my author lives in Fukuoka as well.”

“Oh?”

“Let me know if you want us to travel together. We’ll have to get the tickets.”

Onodera rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. “Perhaps.”

Kisa grinned mischievously at Mino, who returned the gesture.

Tori took out the cellphone from his pocket. “Mino, you'll need Yoshikawa-sensei’s contact, right?”

“Ah, yes! Thank you so much.” He was going to prepare his phone for the transference but decided to grab Tori’s cellphone instead. “Excuse me while I borrow this for a while. Ah, here it is. Aaand, done. There you go!” He returned the device. “But you know? I think I might pay Yoshikawa-sensei a visit instead of calling him. It would be more polite, wouldn’t it? Do you happen to have the keys to his apartment?”

Hatori gave a little shiver at the thought of Mino’s tenacity. By now, it was evident that there was an ulterior reason for his acting. But that was not the time to question him - a private talk later on would have to suffice. He browsed his phone. “Why don’t I send him an email to let him know that you are…?” He frowned.

“Something the matter?” Mino smiled attentively, leaning forward.

Tori looked away. “Did you delete his contact from my phone?” he asked in a low voice.

“Ah, sorry!” Mino chuckled. “My finger must have slipped. Now, can I have those keys?”

* * *

The door opened and closed. _This quietness… He’s back,_ Yoshino thought. “Toriii!” he groaned miserably. “I’m thinking of ordering sushi, but I can't find…” His voice trailed off at the sight of the man before him.

“Good afternoon, Yoshikawa-sensei!” Mino smiled. “Long time no see! We met once before, remember?”

“Ah, you are---!”

“Marukawa’s Mino Kanade. I’ll be your editor for the next month - exclusively. I came here today to lay down some rules,” he grinned, in a way that made Chiaki shudder, “so thank you for having me.”

**\-----**


	2. Condition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mino starts laying down the rules of the game he's about to play with Chiaki. Meanwhile, Hatori receives a visit from Yuu.

**Day One**

The atmosphere was thick between them. Other than having been introduced to each other briefly during the party for the inauguration of the new Marukawa building, they’d never struck up a conversation. Chiaki felt his heart thumping uncomfortably, and he hoped that the man before him wouldn’t notice how nervous he was. “Um… What happened to To--- _Hatori_ -san?”

“Oh, there’s nothing wrong with him!” Mino chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. “You _had_ been informed about the possibility of working on a special project, right? I asked him for the keys to your apartment because I’ll be the one in charge of your work from now on. Ah, at least for the rest of the summer.”

“Yes, but I thought… You see, I wasn’t aware that another editor would be managing it. And… Um…” Yoshino blushed, “this is a little sudden. I usually discuss my projects with Hatori-san, and… I’m sure you’re a capable editor, Mino-san, but---”

Mino stood up, looming over the young artist. _“Yoshikawa-sensei,”_ he said, almost in a sing-song voice, “I’ve got both Hatori-san’s and Takano-san’s approval. You are, of course, welcome to contact Marukawa, but I’m _sure_ you _don’t_ want to cause any trouble to Hatori-san, do you? After all, he is _always_ working hard for your sake…”

Yoshino’s eyes opened wide. That soft-spoken man… Surely he hadn’t meant… Was Tori in trouble at work because of him? He knew that Tori had covered for him more times than he could count, but he didn’t know the complications he usually caused his lover would affect Tori’s reputation. So _that_ was why he was refusing to contact him? The last time they’d met, Yoshino had found his behavior to be stranger than usual. _Ah, perhaps I did cause trouble after all,_ he thought.

“I didn’t mean to offend you, Mino-san,” he smiled meekly. “Of course, I’ll be glad to hear you out. Let’s both do our best.”

Mino grinned. “I am nothing but prepared to deal with your way of working. I have already drafted our schedule for the next month. Here’s a copy for you.” he said, handing Yoshino a rather thick envelope. “I’d appreciate it if you could stick to it, Yoshikawa-sensei. This is a great deal for Marukawa, and we’re counting on you, one of our most successful authors, to go through with it. I will forward you my personal information so that you can contact me anytime you need to discuss this project.” He stood up and grabbed his bag.

Yoshino nodded. “I uh… I look forward to working with you.”

“So do I,” Mino bowed politely. As he turned around to leave, he smiled one last time. “I will ask you to please refrain from contacting your usual editor, Yoshikawa-sensei. Hatori-san will be working with Sagawa-sensei and he needs time to get acquainted with her.”

“Oh, will he? He’s always praised her works.” Yoshino pressed the envelope against his chest. “That’s good. I hope he has a good time.”

“He will,” Mino reassured him. “… As long as you play your part well.”

* * *

** Day Two  **

As soon as the alarm went off, Tori stirred and slowly opened his eyes. How long had it been since he’d slept so soundly? Yes, he’d had a couple of beers to loosen up before going to bed. He felt a little groggy now, and yet… He felt oddly rested.

He took his cellphone and checked if there were any messages. He remembered that Mino had deleted Chiaki’s contact info, but surely Chiaki still had his. No calls. Perhaps he was wondering what he’d done wrong, or why Tori hadn’t stopped by in the last three days. As long as he hadn’t collapsed…

Tori sat up and rubbed his eyes. No, no. The manga was on hold. There was no need for Yoshino to drown in overwork as usual. He checked his call log and his eyebrows twitched.

Three calls to Yanase Yuu.

_Why._

Maybe they hadn’t gone through?

They had.

They were only a few minutes long, but a feeling of uneasiness still invaded him. What had he said? He couldn’t recall having made those calls in the first place.

The bell rang. Tori frowned. Who was it at this time of the day? He stood up and walked to the living room. He pressed the intercom button and saw Yuu’s face right outside his door.

_Crap._

“Yes?”

“Open up, Hatori. We need to talk.”

Would it be immature of him to refuse? Yes. But he didn’t trust himself when it came to being around Yanase out of a working context. Still, he had a vague idea what the conversation would be about, and if there was something that Tori appreciated was crystal-clear situations.

He opened the door and let Yuu in. “Excuse me. I won’t take too much of your time,” Yuu said. “But I’ll be working at Marukawa today, and I wanted to avoid an unpleasant situation.”

“We’re both responsible adults when it comes to work,” Tori said, picking up the empty beer cans. He could feel Yanase’s judgmental look following him round the room.

“I assume Yoshino’s not here. Are you still mad at him because of that thing...?”

Hatori left the bag on the counter rather violently. “Take a guess.”

Yuu leaned against a wall and crossed his arms. “Do you trust him that little? I thought you guys were some sort of super lovers, "destined to be, right for each other," and all that bullshit you spouted last night on the phone.”

“Ah, so that’s what I said.”

“You’re an awful man,” Yanase scoffed. “You know that Chiaki doesn’t see me the same way he sees you. And we both know that the only reason I keep going back to him is because I really like him, and he doesn’t hate me.” He let down his arms and took a few steps forward. “I keep hoping he’ll notice me because you’re an idiot.”

Tori raised an eyebrow. “What do I have to do with your delusions?”

“You knew that I liked him!” Yuu shouted, enraged. “And if I hadn’t been so stupid to come out and say it, you’d never have confessed to him!” He snorted. “Why don’t you just admit that the only reason you told him about your feelings was because I was planning to do that?”

Tori’s eyes looked away. “I don’t have to discuss this with you.”

“You’ve always been jealous of anyone coming close to Chiaki,” Yuu stated. “It was so easy to see. You even became an editor just to be close to him. You head-hunted him. And this… intimate relationship you two have---”

“That’s enough.” Hatori glared at Yanase, who shook his head sadly.

“Just leave me out of your drama, okay?” the young man sighed as he turned to leave. “If you don’t want to let him out of your sight because you don’t trust him, then that’s not my problem, is it?”

**\-----**

** **


	3. Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys of the Maiden Group go out for some drinks.

Day Three

“Good work, everyone,” Takano said, stretching his arms and legs. In spite of the long hours, lately he didn’t look as tired as usual. “Tomorrow we can do late morning rounds and check-ins and then report back in the afternoon, so you’re not expected to be here before 4pm.”

“Aaah, it kinda feels like a vacation!” Kisa sighed happily, leaning against the back of his chair. “Mino, this was such a great idea!”

“Still, you can’t afford to slack off,” Tori reminded him. “One month goes by eerily quickly.”

“Hatori-san, you’re such a party-pooper!” Kisa pouted. “You could use a little bit of relaxation, you know?” He clapped his hands together. “Say, why don’t we all go for a couple of well-deserved beers? We haven’t been out drinking for a long time now, ever since we were stranded in that resort.”

“Sounds good to me. You’re in, Hatori, right?” Mino said, smiling.

Tori hesitated briefly. “I guess I could go for an hour.” The bar they usually went to was not far from Yoshino’s apartment, and all through the afternoon Hatori had been entertaining the idea of dropping by to check in on his friend. Since Yoshino’s workload wouldn’t be particularly bad at this stage, there was no reason for Yanase to be there. Perhaps they could talk about what had gone wrong, and patch things up.

When he looked up, he noticed Mino staring at him. It was something brief, but there was no mistaking: those strange eyes of his were quick to glance in another direction. The man nodded and smiled as he usually did, but Hatori couldn’t help but wonder why his co-worker seemed to be more… watchful lately? Did that have to do with that night they’d almost talked about Tori’s private life? But surely it wasn’t so odd, wanting to keep his things to himself. And besides, it wasn’t as if they were close friends...

“Bar-hopping, bar-hopping! Yay!” Kisa chanted as he grabbed a hesitant Onodera by the arm and dragged him out of the office. Mino and Takano followed them, chatting amicably. Hatori looked at his watch. One hour, perhaps a little more, and then…

* * *

“Cheers!” everyone exclaimed before downing the entirety of their fourth glass in one gulp.

“Aaah, so refreshing!” Ritsu sighed as he grabbed the bottle of sake and poured the glasses for his superiors. “I could have had a few more of those before moving on to the harder liquor.”

“You and alcohol don’t mesh well, so don’t get too carried away,” Takano commented as he popped a piece of fried chicken into his mouth.

“Takano-san, please don’t speak about those things,” Ritsu muttered.

“Ah, what’s this? Ricchan, what happened?” Kisa inquired, bright eyes and a mischievous smile pasted on his face. “Did you do something embarrassing? Ah, but I don’t remember you doing anything when we went out drinking, so could this be… a _private_ occurrence? Tell us, tell us! Was there nudity involved?”

“Eh? Wh-what are you saying?!” Onodera spluttered.

“Kisa, you sure can be curious,” Hatori murmured, his lips touching the rim of his glass.

“Kisa-san is feeling particularly inquisitive tonight,” Mino grinned. “Perhaps he’s trying to divert our attention from his own personal circumstances?”

“Ooh, this is gonna be good,” Takano smirked. “What have you caught on, Mino?”

 _Rowdy, all of them,_ Hatori thought, sipping on his drink. He watched Kisa blushing at Mino’s softly-spoken words. And that guy… He was a bit of a mystery himself. What right did he have to ask him about his things? He took the warm sake that Mino had left in front of him and poured himself another drink. He’d never had problems with Mino. His co-worker was serious, responsible, and he worked as hard as circumstances allowed him. Strange circumstances, revealed to them thanks to that trip. A child. What a shock. He may not be the best father out there, but he was trying. He was always trying to make the best of a bad situation. He never allowed himself to lose his smile. Always so composed…

Hatori poured himself some more sake. It was a bit intriguing. And yet, they’d seen him lose his temper at the hot springs. Though it was understandable – the child had disappeared. A child that wasn’t his, one that he’d taken in because nobody else would. Had it been a shock? Yeah. The bottle was light now, almost empty. Empty home, the one that child had before Mino took him in. Empty house, the one without Yoshino. Empty, empty, empty. What was that feeling of emptiness that had invaded him in the last couple of days, even before his fight with Yoshino? But then again, it didn’t feel so empty now? Not lonely, in spite of the separation. Mino would know. He always seemed to know. And yet there was very little Tori knew about Mino…

Mino felt the slight pressure on his shoulder, but he didn’t look surprised. It was Takano who blinked, confused.

“Oh? Hatori, feeling ill?”

Mino glanced casually in Tori’s direction and sighed. “Seems like our second editor-in-chief got knocked out quite easily.”

“Perhaps he hasn’t been sleeping very well?”Onodera ventured.

“What do you mean?” Takano asked.

“Well… It’s just that he does seem to space out a little these days, you know? He’s always so serious and collected that when things are a bit off, it’s easy to notice.”

“That’s Hatori for you,” Kisa laughed almost too loudly. “If _I_ were the one coming apart at the seams, you’d think it’s normal.”

“That’s not true, Kisa-san,” Onodera rushed to say. “Lately you’ve looked troubled as well, like you’re forcing yourself to smile. When you---”

“Oi, Onodera,” Takano warned him as he poured himself another drink. “That’s none of your business.”

“Ah… Sorry, I shouldn't have said that...” Ritsu murmured, bowing his head slightly.

Mino noticed that Kisa’s jawline appeared to be tense; even his back, usually bent forward, looked like a string about to snap. As Takano had said, it was none of their business. He put his arm around Hatori’s shoulders and shook him lightly. “Hatori-san? Let’s get you home, shall we?”

* * *

Mino hauled Hatori through the door and into Tori’s apartment as best as he could. Tori was a bit taller than him, but as his arms circled his coworker’s waist, he realized that he was slimmer than he appeared. It wasn’t surprising, considering how tense he always seemed to be.

“Stay still until I can get these off,” Mino grunted as he held Tori’s body against the wall with his own, sliding down to take off his shoes. Hatori stirred and grunted softly, slowly bending over Mino, who caught him just in time and dragged him to the bedroom.

“Such a bother,” Mino huffed as he finally laid down his coworker on his bed. “There he goes. All that’s left to do is cover him so that he doesn’t catch a cold.”

But before he could move away, Hatori’s hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled Mino towards him. Mino landed on the bed and Tori wrapped his arms around him.

“You smell differently…” Hatori murmured in Mino’s ear as his fingertips ran through his hair. “It’s really nice… Chiaki…”

**\-----**


	4. Itadakimasu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mino spends some time at Hatori's place, where Yoshino finds him.

_“Chiaki…”_

_Ah, so that’s how it is,_ Mino thought as he tried to push Hatori away. “There, there. That’s enough,” he chuckled. “You’re drunk, Hatori-san. Now go to sleep.” But Hatori’s hand fumbled down Mino’s chest, undoing the snap buttons with clumsy but desperate fingers.

Mino sighed and grabbed Tori by the arm, rolling over him and pinning him down. “Honestly,” he grumbled as he wrapped the bedspread around Tori. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Hatori over his shoulder. Who would have thought the serious second editor-in-chief was just a lovesick man?

By the time he got to the bedroom door, Hatori was snoring softly. Mino smiled. So that was why he’d been so tense. Mino had always known there was something between Yoshikawa-sensei and the editor, but he’d thought it was still platonic. Hatori calling out Yoshikawa’s first name in such a manner, however… There was trouble in the air, and this type of drama wasn’t Mino’s cup of tea. It would be better for him to stay away, wouldn’t it?

As he was closing the door behind him, he was surprised to see that the lights of the kitchen area were now on. “Who’s there?” he asked.

Yoshino Chiaki stepped forward. “Ah, it’s---! It’s just me…”

“Yoshikawa-sensei! Ah, sorry – _Yoshino-san_.” Mino smiled. “What a surprise! Come for an evening chat with Hatori-san?”

Yoshino nodded.

“Ah, but you see… Hatori-san’s sleeping.” He followed Yoshino’s eyes and realized that his shirt was still open. Would that man misunderstand the situation? _Perhaps he should,_ Mino thought, before doing up his buttons and passing his fingers through his hair. “I was going to get some water. Would you like some?”

“No, that’s…” Yoshino seemed to be spacing out. “That’s alright. I guess I’ll talk to him some other day. So… I’ll be going now. Please don’t tell T--- _Hatori_ -san that I was here.”

Mino nodded. Before Yoshino left the apartment, however, Mino called out his name. “Yoshikawa-sensei!”

“Yes?”

Mino leaned against the frame that separated the entrance from the living room. “Don’t forget we’re meeting tomorrow at 12pm.” He saw Yoshino clench his jaw and nod rather stiffly before he went out. _I really don’t need this kind of drama. I know better than to pursue this,_ Mino thought bitterly.

_But then, why can’t I stay away?_

* * *

Day Four

The early morning sunlight hit Hatori on the face, so he rolled over his stomach and covered his eyes with his arm. He felt about for his clock, hoping he’d be able to stop it before it went off. But he’d forgotten to set the alarm – odd, since that was part of his evening ritual, right before he went to… Um…

How had he gotten to his bed?

He was still wearing his clothes from the previous day. As he sat up, he had a vague memory of the dream he’d had. Yoshino had been in his arms, warmer and softer than ever before. He rubbed his face. So he’d started dreaming of that guy now. Perfect. That’s what he got for not going over to his place and talking to him properly.

As he stood up, he felt the slight pressure that had built up in his pants overnight. Damned dream. He’d have to take care of it in the shower. He walked into the living room and---

“Good morning, Hatori-san!” Mino greeted him cheerfully. He was serving scoops of rice into the bowls. “I hope you got to sleep well.”

“I did, thank---” He stumbled backwards. “Wait… What are you doing here?”

“I took the liberty to make some light breakfast.” He pointed to the dishes displayed on the table. “As for me, I brought you home from the bar last night. You weren’t feeling very well, so I laid you down and then slept on the couch.”

Hatori’s stomach gurgled faintly. He wasn’t used to having breakfast made for him. He nodded and sat at the table.

“Here,” Mino said, leaving a glass on the table. “It’ll help you get rid of the queasiness.”

“Ah, thank you.” His lips touched the rim of the glass and he smelled the drink. Why? It wouldn’t be poisoned. It was just one of his many quirks. He sighed and took a mouthful – sweet, but at the same time it had a bitter aftertaste, and it was cold enough to instantly shake off his lethargy. “This is… good.”

“Right? My wife used to make it for me whenever I had one too many.” He smiled and sat at the table, clasping his hands and bowing slightly as he was about to receive the food he’d prepared.

Hatori felt amused by the gesture. “What’s with the formal air?”

Mino blushed softly as he reached for the miso soup. “Sorry, it’s just that’s the usual way I do it with Yamato.”

“I can understand that, he's still young,” Hatori nodded. “Yamato seems like a nice child. He cares for you quite a bit, doesn’t he?”

“That’s probably because we’re on our own,” Mino said after a short while, his eyes fixed on the rice. “That tends to happen with people who stick together for a long time. Eventually we come to think that we have to protect the person next to us as best we can. Being alone is not always bad, but feeling lonely… Loneliness can drive us to strange places.” He raised his eyes and realized that Hatori had stopped eating and was staring at him. Mino looked away quickly and chuckled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so serious.”

Hatori shook his head and resumed his meal. “No, that’s okay. I didn’t mind it at all. It must be hard to raise a child on your own.” _It would have been better if your marriage had continued,_ he thought, but he didn’t dare discuss that topic with the person sitting across from him. “I think it’s admirable to take care of someone that way.”

Mino didn’t reply. His lips curved into a gentle smile and he went on eating quietly, leaving Hatori to wonder what he was thinking about. Takano had made a point once: if they ever saw Mino with a serious expression in his face, and Hatori sporting a smile, then it would be the beginning of the end. So it was natural for Tori to wonder why it was that Mino had decided to be that person – someone who’d always muster such a face even under pressure, but who would never show his eyes to anybody… _Though technically he has,_ Tori thought, _at least to me_.

“Thanks for the meal,” Mino said after a while, and he and Tori took their bowls to the kitchen area.

“I’ll take care of the washing-up,” Hatori said.

“Ah, thank you! I can go back home and change my clothes – who knows what would happen if Kisa saw me wearing the same outfit after last night?”

“You can borrow some of mine,” Tori offered, but Mino shook his head.

"No, it's alright."

"Don't be silly. I'm sure there's something you can wear."

Mino looked away. “I don’t think that Yoshikawa-sensei would appreciate it,” he replied in a low voice.

A shiver ran down Tori’s back. Why? What was that feeling? Did Mino know for sure? “Say, Mino,” he asked, passing his tongue over his lips as he squeezed the sponge in his hand, “did I…? Did something happen last night?”

**\-----**

** **


	5. Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Separately, both Mino and Hatori have different conversations with Yoshino, with different results.

Day Four

“Ah, that’s hot!” Yoshino dropped the cup and it shattered, spilling the tea all over the kitchen area. “I’m sorry!” he apologized, looking around for the disposable wipes. “I’ll clean it up in a second…”

“Please, let me help you,” Mino offered, but he saw Yoshino flinch.

“No, that’s---! That’s okay… I can manage.”

His cheeks were flushed and Mino thought that he looked even more uncomfortable than the first day they’d met. _Such a sensitive guy. No wonder he’s so good at writing shoujo manga._ But even if he had an idea of Yoshino’s absent-mindedness –mainly after seeing Hatori struggle with the artist so many times– Mino felt that Yoshino’s reactions were due to something else. _He’s probably thinking about last night; I should just tell him the truth._ “Yoshikawa-sensei…” he started to say, but then he reconsidered: speaking about that would almost be acknowledging that Hatori was in a relationship with the mangaka. He didn’t think that was something either of those men would want other people to know so freely.

“Hmmm?” Yoshino blinked, throwing away the pieces of the cup.

Mino smiled. “You don’t have to fuss over me. I’m here to help you. If you want something done, I can---”

“Ah no, that’s alright,” Yoshino chuckled embarrassedly. “It’s just today’s not a good day.”

“Didn’t get much sleep last night?” Mino ventured.

“Perhaps,” the mangaka replied quietly. He poured the rest of the tea into two fresh cups and left them on the table.

Mino sat across from him and took out his notebook. “So, shall we begin with the sorting out of ideas? Is there something you were particularly interested in working on?”

“Well… I’ve been toying with the idea of working on some old doujinshi I created based on Za*Kan. More like, a female version of the main character.”

“Hrm.” Mino tapped the pen on the page.

Yoshino blushed. “Ah, but… I suppose it would be difficult, since this would have commercial value, right?” He nursed the tea cup and gazed at the liquid. “Actually... I’m not really sure what I’d like to do.”

“How about we start with what you don’t want to do?” Mino suggested. “I’ve listed the themes and topics of your previous works and maybe we can go over those and check off the ones that won’t feel new or refreshing.” When he saw the artist look up and nod meekly, Mino let out a discreet sigh of relief.

* * *

“Takano-san isn’t here yet?” Mino asked Kisa as he put down his bag and turned on his computer.

“Nope! Neither is Ricchan,” his coworker replied with a grin.

“What’s with that face?” Mino asked curiously. “Did something happen last night after we left?”

“That’s what I should be asking _yooou_ ,” Kisa chanted. “Hatori-san looked quite content when I saw him a while ago. What were you guys up to, eh? You know, considering that Hatori’s not very demonstrative, he seems quite comfortable with you. I’d never have imagined---”

“Hatori-san’s here?” Mino asked, ignoring the man’s allusive remarks.

“He’s just left. You missed him for a few minutes.”

“It’s odd that he’d take this long to meet with Sagawa-sensei,” Mino commented.

“Oh no, he’s already finished with that!” Kisa replied. “But whatever he’s going to do can’t take him long. If he’s not here when Takano gets to the office---Ah, that’s right! After we finished yesterday, Takano and Ricchan set off –listen to this– to the _library_.”

“The library? At that time?”

“Seems like they had books to return. Do you think that’s code talk for something else? I’m pretty sure the last trains had departed by the time they finished with that business.”

“I think we shouldn’t be talking about this here,” Mino chuckled, “Just in case. But we know that both of them love books. Maybe they’re borrowing them to discuss ideas?”

“Man, that would be so boooring,” Kisa groaned, stretching out.

“So? What about you?” Mino rested his chin on his hands. “Wanna talk about your thing? Yamato’s not home these days, so you can come over...”

“Mino, you ecchi!” the other man laughed. He turned to his left and saw Takano and Ritsu walking towards them. “Ah, they’re here!” He looked away. “We can talk about 'my thing' some other day.”

“Afternoon, Mino,” Takano greeted. He saw Tori’s empty seat and raised his eyebrows slightly. “I guess we can all go to the conference room I’ve booked and discuss our progress. Is Hatori okay?” he asked Mino.

“Yes, he is,” Mino smiled. “He just had some errands… Right, Kisa?”

“Right, right! We can start talking about our things and he’ll join us in a little while.”

“If you say so. Gather your things and let’s meet in Room 6 in ten minutes.”

* * *

“Sorry for intruding,” Hatori said, closing the door behind him.

“Where’s your key?” Yoshino asked.

“I gave it to Mino; after all, he was going to be the one working with you this month.” Tori watched his lover’s back. _As fragile as ever._ Would he be eating well? Sleeping well? The shadows under his eyes were telling. “Yoshino, I---”

“Why?”

Tori frowned slightly. “Why what?”

“Why did you give him the key?”

“He asked for it. I was pissed. He needs it more than I do. It was supposed to be a seamless transition. Having Mino here hasn’t affected your job, has it?” He was surprised to see Yoshino’s flushed face when he turned around. “What? Do you want me to ask him for it?”

“Work!” Yoshino shouted. “Is that all that matters to you? I get it: I’m not a responsible person. I’m clumsy, immature, and a bit of an idiot. I’m a walking mess!”

“Which is why working with Mino will be good for you,” Hatori started to say as he took a step forward, but that caused Chiaki to step back.

“Oh, _great!_ Work, and now Mino-san! I’m sure he’s a reliable person – just your type, right? What---” He clenched his fists. “What was he doing at your place last night?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t _‘huh?’_ me! I saw him coming out of your bedroom – tousled hair, open shirt! I told him not to tell you I’d been there.” He saw Tori’s stunned expression. “Don’t bother; I barely need an explanation. He probably didn’t want to say anything so as not to cause trouble. And after all, I know what you’re like---!” He stopped abruptly.  _Ah, now I’ve done it…_

 _“What---”_ Tori frowned. “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

Chiaki’s eyes wandered about the room. “That... No, I meant---!”

“I got drunk and he took me home,” Hatori said dryly. “If you wanted to see me that badly, you should have stayed there, or at least tried to wake me up.” He sighed tiredly and turned to leave. “Just… Leave it there, will you? I just wanted to see if you were doing fine. Don’t give Mino any more work than---”

“Again with the work thing!” Yoshino grabbed a cushion from the sofa and threw it at Hatori. “Is that why you got drunk? Because I failed to meet the objectives you set for me for the first semester?”

 _Stop it._ Hatori banged his fist on the counter. “What the fuck are you saying? Are you seriously that clueless? Did you think you’d fool me with that ‘visit to your grandparents’? That I wouldn’t know that you were planning a trip with Yanase?”

Yoshino blushed to the tip of his hair, a clear signal of admission. “That---!”

“I’m done with this,” Hatori said, stomping to the front door.

“Tori, wait! It's not what you think!”

“Don’t you dare come after me!” Hatori shouted, mustering every ounce of strength he had to avoid turning around and hurting his lover.

His lover. His friend. His artist.

_When will enough be enough, Tori?_

* * *

Mino was leaving the Marukawa building when he came across Hatori. His coworker looked pale and tired, and Mino rushed towards him. “Where had you been?" he inquired. "Your phone’s off and Takano was furious! I'd never seen him---!”

“I need to talk to you about something,” Tori interrupted him. “Can we go somewhere? Preferably far from Marukawa.”

Mino arched his eyebrows. “Not to your place? We can go to mine, then.”

Hatori nodded. As they walked to the station, he asked, “Say, Mino… Would you mind if I moved in with you for a few days? Just until Yamato comes home.”

Yoshikawa-sensei’s behind this, Mino thought. _“Avoid the drama,”_ the quiet voice inside him pleaded once more.

But to his surprise, he found himself saying, “I wouldn’t mind that at all.”

* * *

“You can sleep in my room,” Mino said, pointing to a door on the right side of the apartment. “I’ll stay in Yamato’s, on the other side of the living room. It’s not a huge place, but---”

“I’m sorry to impose on you this way,” Hatori interrupted him. “Perhaps you wanted to spend time on your own, now that your child’s not here.”

“Oh, no!” Mino chuckled, waving his hands. “In all truth, I was beginning to get a bit lonely without him, especially now that we have more free time at the office. I hadn’t come to an empty home for some time, ever since my wife left.” He walked towards his room. “Anyway, I’ll just take some of my things and---”

Without really intending to move in such a way, Hatori grabbed Mino by the forearm as he passed by, causing the man to raise his eyebrows in surprise. “Sorry…” Tori murmured, getting a good look at Mino’s strange eyes. “I just wanted to know… why didn’t you tell me that Yoshino had come over?”

Gently but firmly, Mino removed his coworker’s hands off his arm and looked away. “He asked me not to tell you.” He shrugged. “I figured you’d be talking to him sooner or later. But if it was just that, there was no need to leave your place, was there?”

It was Hatori’s turn to look away. “… That guy has got the key to my apartment. I needed some time to think.”

Mino sighed. “I didn’t think you’d be the type to run away,” he remarked.

Tori squeezed the strap of his bag and turned towards the door. “I should have stayed in a hotel. Sorry for---”

This time, Mino held Tori by the wrist and pulled him back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” He smiled gently and offered him his hand. “I won’t force you to speak about things that don’t concern me, but I’ll be around if you want to talk. So… Stay?”

* * *

Day Five

“What’s that?” Hatori asked as he held a piece of eggroll.

“Oh, just some mix of toasted black and white sesame seeds. Yamato loves sprinkling them on the rice, and when I tried it, I kinda liked it. Would you like some?”

Hatori hesitated but then he reached out and took the bear-shaped shaker. His lips curved slightly into a smile. “My grandmother used to keep one like this for me, back when she lived with us. I never thought that something as small as sesame seeds could change the taste of rice so much,” he commented as he sprinkled some on his portion, “but it does.”

Mino nodded. “It’s always the little things that make the big differences.”

* * *

“Say, Ricchan…” Kisa leaned against the back of his chair and cocked his head. “It’s taking them such a long time… Do you think Takano-san is roasting Hatori for skipping work yesterday?”

Ritsu looked at the clock and grimaced. “I don’t know… I mean, Takano-san’s not in a bad mood today, and Hatori’s always pulling through. They’ll probably be fine. How are things going with Yoshikawa-sensei, Mino-san?” He sounded concerned. “I still don’t get why you volunteered to work with him… Hatori seems to be the only one who can handle him.”

“Would either of you have picked him, then?” Mino grinned when he saw Ritsu and Kisa shaking their heads emphatically. “Even if Takano-san is the most reliable of us and he might have been the right fit to deal with Yoshikawa-sensei, we couldn’t risk damaging their good relationship so far.” He looked down at the keyboard when he added, “I’m inconsequential, so if there were a strong disagreement between us, it wouldn’t be as problematic to Marukawa as if it were with the editor-in-chief.”

“Ah, Mino, don’t say that!” Kisa said, waving his hands dismissively.

“That’s true!” Ritsu nodded, standing up and slamming his hands on the desk. “Your work is always appreciated, and you’re always doing your best!”

“You guys…” Mino chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“This, this!” Kisa exclaimed. “You’re always putting work first even if your personal life is a mess!”

 _“Kisa-san!”_ Ritsu choked.

“Eh? No, no, no! That’s not what I meant!” Kisa shouted. “Because it’s not easy to juggle working full time and raising a child on your own!”

“Right, right!” Ritsu nodded enthusiastically.

“What the hell…” Takano murmured. He seemed to have come out of nowhere, followed by Hatori, who was watching the scene with an arched eyebrow. “What’s with this ruckus, Onodera?”

“Ah! It’s… We were just---!”

“---trying to cheer up Mino-san!” Kisa concluded.

The rest of the day went by quietly. Each of them worked with the authors that weren’t taking part in the event, and by the time they had finished, they had advanced a lot more than they’d expected.

“Good job, everyone. See you tomorrow at 11,” Takano said, heading out of the office with Onodera. The other three remained behind, putting the old storyboards away.

Hatori was about to ask Mino what he wanted to have for dinner when he noticed that Kisa was fidgeting about, stealing glances at him. “Something the matter, Kisa?” he asked after a few minutes.

“Eh? Ah, n-nnno, nothing!”

Hatori raised an eyebrow. “If there’s something you wanna say…”

Kisa blushed and let out a sigh. “I was going to ask Mino-san if I could come over for a drink.”

“Come over?” Hatori repeated. “To Mino’s place?” He turned to his coworker, who was now looking at him inquisitively. He understood. It was Mino’s house, but considering how much of a gossip Kisa could be, Mino was probably wondering if that was something Hatori would be able to stand. _We’re not doing anything bad, anyway,_ Tori thought as he nodded.

Mino smiled. “If you don’t mind Hatori-san being there, there’s no trouble.”

“I can leave you two some space if you don’t want me there,” Tori said, grabbing his light jacket.

Kisa’s eyes widened. “… Eh? You two had a date planned or something?”

“No,” Mino chuckled. “We’re living together for the moment.”

Kisa blinked a few times, his eyes going from one man to the other. “Eh? EEEH?”

Hatori let out a frustrated sigh. “Shall we?” he asked, walking to the exit.

**\-----**

** **


	6. Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hatori and Mino spend their first weekend together.

Day Five

They stopped at the convenience store for some beer and meat. Hatori offered to make dinner for them, and the others promptly accepted. It was good for him to keep himself busy. He wasn’t particularly interested in Kisa’s problem since they weren’t actually close, so he thought that, even if the living-dining room area and the kitchen were in the same space, he could pretend he was not paying attention to what their coworker wanted to discuss with Mino.

It took Kisa a few beers, but in the end he blurted out, “I don’t know what to do about my lover,” in a shaky voice.

 _Join the club_ , Hatori thought as he tasted the salad dressing. Why was love so complicated? He was wondering if someone in the world had it easy when it came to relationships when he heard Mino’s words.

“Are you alright? Has he done something to you?”

Wait.

_He?_

Tori didn’t find that particularly strange, but the fact that Kisa was openly talking to Mino about something like that, and that Mino had obviously heard about Kisa’s love problems before, made him ponder what kind of person Mino really was. He shuddered. That guy… He knew much more about them than they did about him.

As he tried the miso soup, Hatori wondered if he would get to know more about Mino in the following days. He looked over his shoulder and saw Kisa rubbing his forehead, and Mino’s hand gently resting on the other man’s arm. It was the first time that Tori had noticed how close those two were. Was that also part of being friends? Hatori tried to remember when it had been the last time that he and Yoshino had comforted each other in such a way, as close friends. Would it be the same for him and anyone else, ever? He didn’t know why, but something inside him was telling him to trust Mino, who seemed to give so much and ask for so little in return. _Ah, that’s right…_ What word had Yoshino used to describe Mino?

 _“Majime,”_ Tori murmured, as he took the bowls to serve the soup.

* * *

Day Six

Hatori woke up earlier than usual. The conversation from the night before was still going round his head. The more Kisa drank, the more talkative he became, and the story that had poured out of his lips hadn’t sounded entirely unfamiliar: one lover that had kept something hidden from the other was something he could relate to.

He lay on his side and sighed. He knew that there were things about him that were just awful: his uncontrollable bouts of anger, his possessiveness, his wretched jealousy. He hated that part of himself. Some days, when he was feeling more vulnerable, he had to agree with Yanase. Perhaps he’d never have become interested in Yoshino in that way if he hadn’t noticed Yanase’s affection. He had loved Chiaki for a long time, but what kind of love was that? He remembered the day Yoshino had told him about living together. It had been a bittersweet moment of realization. _“I love him,”_ but at the same time, _“Does this mean that I didn’t really love him till now?”_

He rolled on his stomach and groaned. An image of that night, and the memory of Yoshino’s delicate back, attacked him without warning. He’d never been an overly sexual person. What about Yoshino had attracted him, then? Should he be having those thoughts? That wasn’t his bed, it was Mino’s. He was usually able to control his urges when he was on his own, and out of respect for that man’s bed, he tried to cool down.

He rested his head on his arms. Mino Kanade. He still didn’t have the full picture of his host. Everything he knew about him resembled a checklist. Hatori knew that behind that smile there was a stranger, always willing to listen, and yet rarely willing to speak. _Perhaps some stones are better left unturned,_ he thought, as he got up.

“Good morning, Hatori-san,” Mino smiled as Tori entered the living room area. “Breakfast is almost ready.”

“You should have told me you were up already,” Hatori protested. “I could have given you a hand.”

“Eeeeh, what’s with this love talk so early in the morning…” Kisa’s voice sounded gravelly. His head popped up from behind the couch and he yawned loudly. “My head’s killing me. How much did I drink?”

“Obviously enough to forget how much,” Tori replied, setting the table. “Come on, hurry; if you do, you’ll have time to take a shower before we sit down for breakfast.”

“You’ve got such a fatherly vibe, Hatori-san,” Kisa mused as he stretched and stood up. “Ah, Mino! I’ll need to borrow some clothes; I’m going to see one of my writers right after breakfast and I won’t have time to go back home. Do you have something for me?”

Tori’s eyes darted from Mino’s lean, defined body to Kisa’s skinny one. _Yamato’s clothes would probably fit him better,_ he thought, and the mere thought of seeing the cute-looking Kisa dressed in children’s clothes made him snort. At the same time, Mino snorted as well, and Hatori raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“What?” Kisa sounded curious. “Is this some kind of inside joke? Why are you two suddenly so close?”

“What are you saying?” Mino looked at him over his shoulder, chuckling. “We weren’t even looking at each other. Go take a shower; I’ll leave the clothes ready for you right outside.”

“You two are weird. So, if you’ll excuse me...” Kisa said, leaving the room.

“A weird guy calling us weird,” Hatori commented as he took the blanket off the couch. “But I guess it’s fine, isn’t it? At least he doesn’t sound lonely anymore.” He made a pause as he fluffed the cushions.

“True,” Mino replied. He checked on the soup one final time before turning off the heat. He turned around and leaned back against the counter. “You know, I had to refrain myself from laughing because I pictured Kisa-san in Yamato’s clothes.”

“So did I! It was such a weird thing!” Hatori exclaimed, letting out a chuckle before he realized what he was doing. A strange feeling took over him. _What is this?_ he thought, as he watched Mino’s shoulders convulsing with laughter. _When was the last time I made anyone laugh?_ Yoshino was always cheerful around Yanase, but he was right: whenever he and Chiaki were together, all they did was talk about work. Was that just another way of monopolizing him?

“Hatori-san.”

Tori blinked. Mino’s voice, warm and attentive, and yet cool and sharp like the concoction he’d once prepared for him to drink so that he could clear his head. “Yes?”

Mino smiled. “Soup’s ready.”

* * *

Day Seven

“Are you eating well?”

“I am. You don’t have to worry about me. I told you there’s someone from the office staying here with me, didn’t I?”

“You didn’t!” Yamato exclaimed. “Is it Onodera-kun?”

Mino laughed. Yamato’s admiration for Onodera after the hot springs incident had not budged one bit. He was always asking after him, and Ricchan was endearingly amused by the drawings Yamato occasionally sent him through Mino. “No, it’s Hatori-san.”

“Which one was that? The one with the glasses or the little one?”

“Neither,” Mino giggled. “The tall one with the serious expression.”

“I don’t remember him. Is he sleeping in my room?”

“No, I’m sleeping there.”

“Will I see him when I come home next week?”

“He said he’d be going as soon as you came.”

“Tell him to stay one day. I want to meet him.”

“Oh? You don’t usually want to meet anyone,” Mino noted.

“It’s because he’s taking care of Papa, isn’t he? I want to know if he’s a nice person.”

It had never occurred to him that one day Yamato would open up in such a way. Onodera had told him that the words he’d said to the child had been merely the ones he himself had told him – “If you don’t say it, he won’t know.” Mino’s relationship with that unexpected son of his had improved dramatically in the past couple of months, to the point in which he’d struggled with the idea of allowing Yamato to go to the swimming camp. He’d been honest when he’d told Hatori that he was feeling a bit lonely.

Hatori was better company than he could have imagined. It was obvious that he was a serious, reliable person, and that he was neat and quiet. Mino could see it at the office every day. But there was a certain energy in that man that was just as oddly childish as it was tense, he could tell; it reminded him of Yamato, and his previous inability to express himself. Now that he felt comfortable around Mino, the child could freely speak his mind. _Will it be the same with Hatori?_  Mino wondered as he took off the glasses he wore when he wasn’t at work.

“Mino, there’s not enough…” Tori stared at the glasses. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wearing those.”

“And you never will. I only put them on at home, on certain occasions.”

“But don’t you need them?”

“I’m a bit short-sighted, but I can make do. Besides… It’s a bit uncomfortable to have people staring at my eyes all the time.” He looked away embarrassedly.

“Oh, I see. Sorry.” Hatori remembered Mino’s heterochromia. Steel and whiskey. Those eyes had intrigued him, but they hadn’t disgusted him. Would people really treat Mino differently if he showed himself the way he was? Tori shuffled his feet. In a way, it seemed… special to be the only one who’d seen him that way. Knowing something about that man that nobody else knew. Well, nobody else except for---

“Yamato said that he’d like to meet you when he comes back,” Mino said casually as he passed by Tori.

“But he already knows me…”

“Yeah, sorry about that, but you didn’t seem to make a great impression,” Mino chuckled. “So let’s work hard and show him a good face, yes?” He looked at his colleague over his shoulder. “It’s not always that you get a second chance to do things right.”

Hatori remained behind, the reason why he’d come to look for Mino already forgotten. Instead, a strange feeling of self-consciousness took over him, making him wonder if it was really possible to mend broken things.

**\-----**

** **


	7. Yakitori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hatori and Mino are seen by Yuu, who tells Chiaki about the editors' new friendship.

Day Eight

They walked side by side, their steps slow and synchronized in the hot summer evening. Mino was asking about the author Hatori was managing when he spotted a new food stand on the opposite bank.

“Uwaaa, a grilled chicken stand!” he exclaimed. “I hadn’t seen one of those in this area for a long time. Hatori-san, let’s skip cooking tonight – we should get that instead.”

“There’s no seating available there. Do you want us to stand around while eating?”

“We can buy some and walk along the river till the next station, or maybe sit on the grass for a while. Come on, it’ll be fun.” Mino started walking ahead and Hatori had no other choice than to follow him. “How nostalgic…” he commented candidly. “I hadn’t had this at a stand since I left my family home in Tochigi. We used to have this summer tradition with my father … I guess I should bring Yamato one of these days in his first yukata, now that he’s agreed to wear one! Ah, my bad. I’m talking too much about personal stuff.” 

“It’s fine,” Hatori smiled. “I don’t mind it at all. And that’s a nice idea. I never did that with my father.”

“Not all parents are close to their children; I shouldn’t have---”

“Oh no, we _are_ ; it’s just…” He remembered he had spent every summer of his life by Yoshino’s side, and the thought made him feel lonely. “There’s… The end of the Tanabata festival. In two weeks’ time from now this year, right?” 

“Do you have a yukata?” Mino wondered. “You’re slightly taller, but I think you could borrow one of mine.”

“There’s no need. I could just buy a new one,” Hatori blurted out just before he realized that he was already going along with the plan. Mino looked like he understood his confusion, so he just smiled quietly. Was he giving him time to correct the assumption that he’d been invited along? “I mean---”

“Alright,” Mino nodded. “Then, it’s a date.”

 _Date?_ What that man being serious? It was so hard to tell with him… And what about him? What was Hatori doing on a date with another man? Was this some sort of revenge? The questions kept flooding his mind and he exclaimed, “I’ll get the yakitori, you go find a place!” He barely noticed Mino’s reply. His feet swiftly carried him to the stand and as he waited for the order to be ready, he gave the invitation some more thought. Yamato would be there. It wouldn’t be the other kind of ‘date’. He was sure Mino didn’t see him in that light. Besides, there was no way for him to ever consider the idea of being with any other man but Chiaki.

“There you go,” he said, handing Mino two trays and two cans of beer before he took off his bag and sat down. “Shiitake, wings, all-white, and negi with salty sauce on this one, and heart, pepper, all-white, and tongue with sweet sauce on that one. Which one would you like?”

“You’ve brought two of each, so… Why don’t we share?”

“Not a problem.” _Of course he would notice that,_ Tori thought. He realized that thinking how observing Mino was had become a bit of a pastime for him, and he found himself wondering if there was some way he could tease that reliable coworker of his.

“Great,” Mino grinned as he took one of the skewers. He took the heart gently between his teeth and pulled it off the thin wood stick. “Mmm, delicious! Tori-chan’s heart sure is sweeeet!”*

“Who’s Tori _-chan?”_ He tried to frown, but as he watched Mino going through one of his fits of laughter, he couldn’t help but shake his head and scoff, half amused. “What are you, a middle-schooler? I hadn’t heard that joke in a long time.” Unfazed, he took the tongue skewer from Mino’s tray and before he could protest, he said, “Let’s see if you can play music without this.”**

“Who’s the middle-schooler now?” Mino smirked. As he leaned over to take his beer, he murmured, “Besides, it's not that the tongue's so important. I can still use my nimble fingers to do that, you know…”

Hatori choked. _Oi! How can you say that with such a straight face?!_ But no – if he said something, it would be as if he’d acknowledged the meaning of those words. _Ignore him, just ignore him._ Ah, that was it. “Anyway, we can’t be sure Yamato will accept me.”

“Hmmm? Accept you?” Mino tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“The date. Ah, I just mean---! Not ‘accept’… But he said… You know what he---” Hatori stopped talking, because Mino was now looking at him properly with those strange eyes of his; the side of him he never showed anyone else. His heart skipped a beat, sending him down a spiral of momentary confusion. Was this… excitement? Was this because Mino was someone he barely knew? Someone with a completely different past from him felt awkward, but at the same time… It was just as alluring as if he’d found a new territory.

“Why wouldn’t he?” Mino smiled, concealing his eyes once again. “Just leave out the green pepper off any meal you cook for him that day, and he’ll approve. But,” he sighed, “if we want to seal the deal at the festival, we’ll probably have to ask Ricchan to come a---Ah, Hatori-san, that’s _my_ \---!”

“Hmmm?” Hatori was taking a sip of the beer when he realized his can still sat beside him, unopened. He withdrew the one he was holding from his lips and put it down in silence. “Sorry, my mistake. Don’t look so shocked.” He scratched the back of his head. “What, don’t tell me you’re concerned about an indirect kiss at this age?”

Mino laughed. “Well, after all we _are_ shoujo manga editors…”

Before Hatori could reply, he noticed a figure looking in their direction. Mino raised his head and looked over his shoulder.

“Someone you know?”

Hatori frowned. “Perhaps.”

* * *

Chiaki went through the storyboard one more time, making sure that everything would be ready for the next day. Perhaps Mino-san would tell Tori that he was working hard, and if he did… If he did, what would happen? Things would still be the same, because the reason why Tori was mad at him was completely unrelated to his performance, wasn’t it? Chiaki slumped on the couch and hugged his favorite pillow.

It wasn’t that he’d wanted to keep his plans in secret, but sometimes he felt that Tori gave him no choice: he was insanely jealous of Yuu, and what was he supposed to do? Yuu was a dear friend.

_"You know Yanase has feelings for you, don’t you?"_

Ah, yes. He knew. He remembered that afternoon at Yuu’s, and how shocked he’d been to discover that his friend was serious about it. Chiaki sighed. Why couldn’t he realize those things at the right time? For an artist who made a living from romance plots, he was certainly clueless. He covered his face with the pillow and groaned loudly. Tori should know that he was first in his heart, even if he still wanted to be close to Yuu. But how could he make him understand…?

The bell rang, making his heart race. He looked at the time. Could it be…? He ran to the intercom and pressed the display. Yuu was standing there, carrying some bags. Trying to hide his disappointment, Chiaki let him in and greeted him in a friendly way.

“I figured you hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so I brought some things,” Yuu said, leaving a few bags on the counter.

“I was thinking of ordering sushi. I haven’t had it in a while.”

“Alright. Want me to make some light dishes while you order?”

“Thanks,” Chiaki smiled, looking for the phone.

Once the sushi had arrived and the table had been set, Chiaki felt that he could relax a bit. “Who will you be working for next week?” 

“I’d been booked by Ijuuin-sensei, but he decided not to take part of the summer edition of _Japun_. I heard there was some trouble because of his sudden decision. His editor had to put out a lot of fires.” Yuu shrugged. “But I guess they can’t refuse to give him a week off.”

“Still, it’s so strange. He’s rarely taken a break in the past couple of years.”

“Rumor has it that it’s some personal matter.” Yuu’s eyes searched for some honest reaction on Chiaki’s face, and it didn’t take long for it to show. “What about you? Still not talking to Hatori?”

“I haven’t had the chance to explain myself properly,” Chiaki lamented. “If I told him that it was an important family matter to you, maybe he---”

Yuu scoffed. “We both know what Hatori thinks of me.”

“Ah, but you see… I don’t think the problem is you.” Chiaki nursed his beer as he leaned back against the couch. “I hid something from him, and I’d promised I---” No, there was no way he could say that to Yuu. It would be like reopening a wound. He hid his face behind his drink.

“You…” Yuu sighed. “You’re an adult. You may not act like one most of the time, but you are one. I don’t get why you should let someone else tell you who you can or cannot meet.” He started putting the dishes away. “Maybe you could ask that editor for advice. He looks like he can handle someone like Hatori.”

“Editor? Who do you mean?”

“Ah… What’s-his-name… Mino-san. I saw them just tonight, sharing dinner. They were pretty chummy. Well, I guess that’s what happens when you spend so much time with a person. I saw them leaving the office together more often recently, and someone told me they’ve also been arriving together these days.” He raised his eyes to look at his friend, and the expression of his face surprised him to the point of regretting his words. “Ah, but… Those guys, the Emerald Division, they’re always hanging out tog---”

“I suppose,” Chiaki replied coldly. He stood up. “Sorry, Yuu. I remembered I have to finish my storyboard for tomorrow. Mino-san’s coming home early in the morning. Do you mind?”

Yuu swallowed hard. He’d never seen that face of his before. “Alright, then… I’ll just grab my things and go.”

* * *

Day Nine

Mino put down the storyboard and stared at Chiaki. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but… This isn’t what we’d discussed, Yoshikawa-sensei.”

“I know,” Chiaki replied. “I improved it.”

Mino chuckled. “You mean you completely discarded the idea that had taken hours to discuss and instead decided to produce… _this_.”

“Oh, but now it’s so much better and shoujo-like!” Chiaki laughed bitterly. “The love story of the perfect protagonist with a dark side and her tolerant and clumsy childhood friend who loves and knows her better than anyone else, plus the newcomer who wants to split them up by pretending to be nice and reliable! How could it not develop into a love triangle?”

Mino stretched out his arms, pushing the storyboard away from him. “There is no way such a thing would pass the editor-in-chief’s supervision.” He stared at Chiaki, who was sulking silently.

“It’s what I feel like writing.”

“Well, I guess there’s no other choice but to go back to the drawing board and fix---”

“I’m not going to---”

_“Yoshikawa-sensei.”_

Chiaki raised his eyes, startled. What was that voice? And that face… His eyes were so weird, so cold… He felt his throat tighten under the pressure of the words that he couldn’t bring himself to produce. Tori could seem to be threatening when he wanted, but this man… It was as if he suddenly looked bigger, wilder… The eyes that he usually hid behind his bangs were watching him as if he was prey, and his smile had disappeared. Chiaki shuddered, unable to figure out what to do.

And just like it had started it finished, like a rain cloud passing over a sun-kissed field. “I do not mix my personal and private life, Yoshikawa-sensei, in any way.”

“Eh?” Chiaki blinked. That man… Was he trying to say that there was nothing between Tori and him?

Mino sighed as he stood up. “I sure hope you can do the same. Your private matters are of no concern whatsoever to me.” He took his bag and smiled quietly. “Because I respect your talent, I want to give you one more chance. I will return tomorrow. Please show me your professionalism when I see you next time.” He nodded and walked out of the room, without looking back.

**\-----**

** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Yakitori" means "grilled chicken".
> 
> * Hatori's nickname, Tori, uses the same symbol as the word "bird" or "chicken", so when Mino talks about tori-chan's heart, he refers to that of the chicken.  
> ** Mino's first name, "Kanade", means "to play music", hence Tori's pun.


	8. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hatori and Mino grow closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place at around the same time as Chapter 3 in "Kotoba".

Day Nine

“Eh? You mean he completely discarded the project you two had been working on?” Kisa sighed. “And here I was thinking that you’d be the one to tame Yoshikawa-sensei, Mino. Have you asked Hatori for advice yet?”

Mino shook his head. “I don’t think it’s appropriate. Besides, this is… not exactly a work-related issue, so there’s no point in involving Hatori-san now. Should it come to that… I guess I’ll find a way. I always do. But anyway, where’s Takano-san?”

“Oh, that’s right! Before he left for Sagawa-sensei’s place, Hatori told me that Takano would be taking the day off. It seems that Ricchan is in hospital.”

“What? What happened to him?”

“Apparently he collapsed at a train station yesterday. Ah, but he’s okay now. It was super hot last night, wasn’t it? I expect we’ll be getting some heavy rain soon.” Kisa closed his laptop and rested on it. “And I have to go out in a while and I don’t want to,” he groaned. “But Mutou-sensei will be here for two or three days and I should take the chance to meet her in person. I wonder if Isaka-san will give us a group incentive at the end of this project, apart from the individual one? Something like the hot springs, but at a seaside resort. I haven’t been to the sea for ages!”

“Not unless he wants us to run errands for him,” Mino chuckled.

“Maybe we should tell our artists to include some subliminal message in their works… Ah, I got it! Since Yoshikawa-sensei will be re-drafting, you can suggest the setting take place in Okinawa! Great beaches, and---”

“Re-drafting? Now?” Hatori was standing behind Mino, frowning. “What happened with the story Takano-san had approved?”

Kisa bit his lower lip as he stared at Mino, who said dismissively, “We’re having some artistic differences. Nothing we can’t get worked out by tomorrow. No need to be concerned.” He stood up and carried some reports to the copy area. Why was he feeling that senseless irritation? Where did it come from? He picked a document at random and pretended to read it as he tried to forget Yoshino’s stubbornness. And yet, what was bothering him more was Hatori’s sudden interest. He’d been the one who had wanted to walk away from whatever relationship he had with the artist. Why did Mino have to be involved in that drama?

“Oi.” Once again, Hatori was standing close to him. “What’s going on? If he’s giving you a hard time, I could---”

“Ah, that won’t be necessary, really.”

“I mean it. Just because I’ve got personal issues with him, it doesn’t mean that I cannot have some input in the project. I’ve been his editor for a long time now. I’ve known him all my life. So if---”

Irritation, once again. A bubble of frustration slithered up his throat. Why? No, this wasn’t a good time… _I have to keep it in. It’s not me, it’s the weather. It’s the time we wasted. It’s just that…_ “Thank you, but I’d rather deal with this myself. It is my project after all.”

“Yes, but Mino---”

 _Enough._ Mino knew there was only one way to shut him up. “Hatori-san,” he interrupted him, glaring. “It will be fine.”

Ah, he knew that Hatori feared his eyes, just like everyone else. They never failed to make him go silent. Mino looked away quickly, and a few seconds later, Hatori stepped back and left him alone. Mino sighed.

By the time Hatori returned home that night, Mino was in bed, staring at the ceiling. He felt the presence of his roommate standing right outside his door, but Hatori never knocked, and Mino just turned around and tried to sleep.

* * *

Day Ten

“The conflict doesn’t necessarily have to come from a love triangle, Yoshikawa-sensei. You know that as well as I do. You’ve built a reputation out of not using that particular element in your stories.”

“But I don’t want to use the miscommunication angle yet again,” Yoshino protested. “It’s tiresome. If two people are in love, shouldn’t they be able to honestly talk to each other without jumping through those hoops? Shouldn’t the person closest to your heart understand what you’re thinking without you having to tell them?”

Mino frowned. “That doesn’t necessarily refer to a lover.”

“Huh?”

“The person closest to your heart… It doesn’t have to be your lover. It could be a good friend. In fact, I don’t think they should be your lover if they know everything about you. Love also has to do with surprising each other, discovering things you didn’t know about one another – even knowing when to push far enough to provoke excitement, but not too far so as to hurt them. Someone who knows you inside out is… a kindred spirit. It would be impossible to get mad at them, and honestly, the make-up sex is one of the best parts.” He noticed Yoshino blushing and smiled discreetly. “Oh, I’m sorry; I might just have said too much.”

“No, no, it’s fine!” Yoshino giggled. “I was… I was just wondering if you were in a relationship like that.”

“I am divorced now.”

“Ah, you were married.”

Mino grinned. “Sadly, my personal history won’t help you much. It’s not very shoujo-like. Perhaps we should focus on our task, yes? I’ll stay here all day long if I must.”

Yoshino nodded and took another look at the old storyboard. Even if he understood that Mino’s words were meant to take him out of that slump, he somehow felt comforted by the idea of love being so different for others.

* * *

Mino entered his house quietly. The lights were out, so he assumed that Hatori was sleeping. He tiptoed his way to the kitchen and that was when he smelled the lingering scent of the beef and potato stew that had been left for him. Had Hatori waited for him to come home for dinner? He checked his messages but there were no missed calls. He left his phone on the counter, removed the pot lid, and dipped a finger into the stew. Sweet. Why a winter dish? It was unbearably hot outside and yet…

He smiled to himself.

He was about to reheat the meal when Hatori turned on the lights. “You’re back. Good work today. What are you doing in the dark?”

“Ah, good work. Sorry. Did I disturb you?”

“It’s your home. I wasn’t sleeping anyway. The air’s just too dense.” Hatori glanced at the pot. “You don’t have to eat that if you don’t feel like it. It might be too hot for that.”

“I never do things if I don’t feel like doing them,” Mino chuckled. “But there was no need to cook.”

“Knowing that guy, I assumed you’d be home late.” He walked over to the counter and checked on the pot. “I’ll get the bowls. You go ahead and get changed.”

“You… You mean you haven’t eaten yet?”

Hatori looked away. “I thought you might want some company. I know Yamato will be back in two days, but still…”

Ah, that was true. Hatori’s time at his apartment would be over soon. Somehow, that thought felt rather similar to the prospect of rain outside: liberating, releasing, but at the same time dampening, capable of doing away with little things that were fleeting, like the perfect hairdo before a date, or the hopscotch paths chalked by school kids. Things that perhaps felt a bit like healing, like something that he’d forgotten, or perhaps he’d never had.

His thoughts and feelings scattered about, and unaccustomed as he was to examining them, Mino let them go.

* * *

Day Eleven

“Pancakes? I suppose he likes them, yes. But Hatori,” Mino said as he grabbed a pack of beers, “there’s no need. Yamato will eat anything, and I doubt Onodera will be fussy about whatever you decide to cook.”

“Well, it’s a ‘welcome home’ meal for Yamato as well as a send-off for me. I thought it would be some sort of special occasion.”

“Ah.” Mino looked down, wondering if they were getting enough alcohol. “Well, it’s not that you have to leave right after he comes back.” He saw Hatori glance at him and smiled. “But that’s up to you, isn’t it? Ah, I think I’m in the mood for this Danish brand…”

“A beer with over 30% alcohol? Talk about potent…”

When they left the convenience store, it was pouring down.

“Looks like we’ll have to make a run for it!” Mino grinned, taking the lead. Soon, Hatori caught up with him, and they practically raced to the apartment block. By the time they’d crossed the door, they were drenched and panting heavily. “I guess we’re not young anymore,” Mino lamented.

“Even if it’s still hot outside, we should take a hot shower just in case,” Hatori replied, wiping the water off his face.

Once they’d finished showering and cooking, they sat down to relax. Their conversation was natural and light in tone, about unremarkable topics: the worst stories they had read, the first drink they’d tasted, the occasional childhood memory that came to them when they smelled dust or red bean paste, or their favorite songs from the anime series they used to watch. Mino found himself wondering if Yoshino would know all those things about Hatori. He probably did.

“Doesn’t look like it’s gonna stop raining any time soon,” Hatori remarked as he put away the empty cans of beer they’d had.

“Well, we’d been expecting it for a while.” Mino rinsed his hands after finishing with the washing-up.

“Wanna watch a movie?”

For a moment, Mino considered saying that he was too tired. But Hatori would be gone soon. “Sure. Anything’s fine with me. Let me get my glasses.” He couldn’t help but notice that lately Hatori’s frown didn’t seem to be so pronounced, that his lips weren’t pressed together so tightly… _What am I thinking? Hatori’s a guy._ He sighed as he walked into his bedroom and put on his glasses. _Ah, he’ll see my eyes again. Well, at least if we’re watching a movie, the room will be dark._

* * *

“I don’t think you should drink that much,” Mino commented in a soft voice.

 _Shut up,_ Hatori wanted to say. _You were the one who brought it up. Why did you make me think of him?_ _“Hatori-san,”_ Mino had said. “ _I think it’s time you made amends with Yoshikawa-sensei.”_ Why? Why had he said that name? That was all it took to make him feel as conflicted and confused as he’d been since that thing had happened. That thing… Whatever Yoshino had done this time… What was it exactly? “I’m fine,” he grumbled, holding onto his can so tightly that his fingers had left a mark on the aluminum. Heavy Black. He leaned forward to read the label and almost spilled the contents, but Mino quickly took it out of his hands. “Hey, give that back!”

“No way. You’ve had too much already. If I’d known you were having so much of this brand…”

Something, something. He was aware of Mino’s voice, but it seemed to randomly disappear, so he didn’t even try to understand him. It was dark, except for the unsteady light of the TV and the occasional bolt of lightning coming through the window. But the storm was outside, right? It wasn’t about to come in. He was already tormented by his uncertainty, his unexpected reluctance to return to his everyday stormy relationship… Ah, but there was another light in the room.

“Hatori?”

“Your glasses…” Hatori mumbled. “I can see the movie reflected on them. I don’t like it.”

“The movie? Shall I turn it off?”

“See the movie…” he hiccupped. “Not your glasses. I don’t like them.”

“It’s better if I wear them. You don’t want to see my eyes.”

“Eeeeh, why?” Hatori struggled to grab onto the back of the couch and face Mino. “Who… Why don’t I?”

“They’re weird.”

“They are? Ah… Yes, I---They are. Really weird.”

“Hatori-san---”

“But more like weird, they’re rare. Rare. Rrrarrre.” He snorted. “They’re precious. You’re weird. But I’m weird too.” He leaned forward. “Mino, let me see them.”

A hand stopped him. “Hatori-san, stop. I’m not interested---”

“Eh?”

A long pause. “I’m not into men.”

“N-neither am I.” Hatori let out a chuckle. “Ah… Yoshino… You know about Yoshino, right? But Yoshino’s sss…Special? He’s Yoshino, and he’s special.”

“I see. Perhaps it’d be better if---”

Hatori lunged forward and removed Mino’s glasses. “You know what’s special? Your eyes.” He giggled. “It’s funny; I can’t stop thinking about them.”

 _“Hatori-san.”_ Mino’s voice, so cold… So cold that it made him shiver. Cold like the steel in one of his eyes, cold like the thought of not being allowed to see them again. And yet those eyes were staring at him, only him.

“Look at me, Mino Kanade,” Hatori mumbled, as his lips pressed against Mino’s in a sudden kiss.

**\-----**

** **


	9. Reaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hatori is not sure about what happened the night before.

Day Twelve

A splitting headache woke him up. Hatori groaned and rolled on the bed, fumbling for his phone. Just as he got hold of it, the alarm went off. He quickly dismissed it and sat up. Fortunately, they’d only have to work half a day. His head was throbbing and his stomach was a bit upset. 

As he went into the kitchen area, he caught a glimpse of Mino preparing his miraculous hangover cure. “Good morning, Hatori-san. How are you feeling?”

“Kinda as if a train had run over me.”

“You should take a shower to clear your head. I made a super light breakfast today, and this will be ready in a minute.”

“Sorry, I feel so useless right now. Do you need a hand?”

“Not really, thanks. Ice in yours?”

“Yes, please.” Hatori sat at the table and watched Mino. How come that guy always looked so fresh? In a way, it was good. There was something healing about it. Mino always managed to keep a cool head when they were in a pinch. Ah, but what if he still felt everything? It would be impossible for anyone to hide their feelings at all times, right? Maybe that’s what his eyes showed whenever he dropped his guard. Hatori groaned. He himself didn’t understand his train of thought, and perhaps overthinking was not advisable.

“Is something the matter?” Mino smiled.

“Nah. I’m still half asleep and the migraine won’t go away.” Hatori took a sip of his cold drink. “Ah, this tastes so good right now.”

“Don’t get used to it. You really should drink a bit less.”

“I don’t recall exactly how much I drink, but I never get both a headache and a stomachache at the same time, so it must have been quite a lot. I don’t even remember getting to my bed. Did we even finish watching that movie?” He raised his eyes and for a moment, his look met Mino’s.

“Hah, I see. We didn’t, no. It wasn’t that good, anyway. But really, you’re still a young man,” he chuckled after a long pause, “so you should try to look after yourself better from now on.”

“Are you my mother?” Hatori smirked.

Mino arched his eyebrows. “No, I don’t think you’d like that.”

Once they’d finished having breakfast, Hatori offered to tidy up the living room while Mino did the washing-up. All the evidence of their drinking had disappeared, so it was just a matter of fixing the cushions and…

Mino’s glasses were stuck between a pillow and the back of the couch. As soon as Hatori grabbed them, a strange feeling took over him, as if he was forgetting something important. But nothing came to mind, and he shrugged it off and left the glasses on the table.

* * *

“Yamato-kun’s coming back today, isn’t he?” Onodera asked.

“That’s right. The bus will be dropping his group off at the school in a couple of hours and I’ll be picking him up. You’re coming home next Sunday, right? Hatori’s been thinking about what you would like to have for lunch.”

“Ah, that’s true,” Hatori nodded. “Is a pancake fest okay with you? We went shopping yesterday and we thought it would be a good idea, but we can change the menu if that’s not to your liking.”

“Eeeeh,” Kisa smirked. “What’s with this domestic aura? You know…” He raised his voice so that the women from the Sapphire group could hear him. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but you two actually look good together.”

Hatori’s eyes opened wide, but just as he was about to say something, Mino stood up, circled the area, and held Kisa in his arms. “My, my… Is that jealousy?” He lifted Kisa’s chin with his fingers, to the delighted squeals of the Sapphire girls and Kisa himself.

Something in that gesture… Hatori frowned. It felt so familiar. But those two were always pulling those stunts. He shook his head and went back to work.

* * *

“What’s taking them so long?” Takano groaned. “It was just going downstairs to get the food and coming back right away.”

“Maybe they came across Isaka-san?” Onodera ventured.

“I don’t think so. Ah, I shouldn’t have let those two go together. They’ve already had their quota of fooling around for the day. Hatori, can you please go fetch them?”

Hatori had just gotten to the corridor when he heard the elevator pinging. The doors opened and Kisa and Mino appeared, carrying with them the lunch boxes they’d ordered. “Oi!” he shouted, but his voice was drowned by Kisa’s laughter.

“Wait, you’ve got some crumbs on the corner… Let’s erase the evidence!” Kisa grinned as his thumb wiped Mino’s lips.

That gesture…

**. . .**

_“Look at me, Mino Kanade,” he mumbled, pressing his lips against Mino’s. But the kiss was not returned, and Hatori pulled back. “Cold, so cold…You’re cold, Mino-san.” So standoffish, so rational. It was annoying. He tosses the glasses behind him and grabbed Mino by the shoulders. “What moves you? Why can’t I figure it out? Ah, so irritating...” Once again, he crushed his mouth against his partner’s. Mino didn’t resist, but he wasn’t cooperating._ No good. This is no good. What do I want…?

_Suddenly he felt a pair of strong hands breaking his hold and upsetting the balance. He found himself pinned down on his back. Mino grabbed the remote control and turned off the TV. The room became dark, but the last thing Hatori saw was those eyes watching him with an expression he’d never seen before._

**. . .**

“Hatori-san?” Kisa poked him. “Are you alright?”

Hatori gasped. He was holding onto the doorframe so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. “T---Toilet…” he managed to say as he ran past them. What was going on? Had it been a dream? He’d drunk far too much. He dashed into the restroom and shut the stall door behind him. His head was throbbing and he felt weak.

**. . .**

_“You…” Mino’s voice sounded strange. “You’re the forceful type, aren’t you? I can tell you’re not accustomed to being the one held down.” One of his fingers slid up Hatori’s neck all the way to the corner of his lips. His thumb was slowly stroking his jaw. “I may not be into men, but you certainly are. And then you want to give me that bullshit of Yoshino being special… Look,” he chuckled, grinding his hips against Hatori’s. “I haven’t done anything to you and you’re already hard.”_

_Hatori felt his cheeks burning. What had he said about Chiaki? His thoughts were scattered. “Yoshino?” he blurted out in a weird voice._

_Mino grabbed Hatori by the wrists and held them above his head. “Go back to your Yoshino, Hatori-chan. Forget about this and go back to him.”_

_Forget… That was always so hard to do. He felt his body reacting to Mino’s strength, and the image of that man's eyes on him invaded his thoughts. “Please…” he murmured, trying to get a glimpse of Mino’s face._

_He heard Mino sigh. “You’re a terrible kisser, Hatori. I’ll teach you, but then you have to go back to the one that’s waiting for you.”_

_Hatori felt Mino’s fingers lifting his chin, and he instinctively parted his lips to meet Mino’s. Warm and soft. Mino kissed his lower lip, gently raking it with his teeth, and when Hatori moaned quietly, he licked his upper lip, slowly sliding his tongue into Hatori’s mouth. Hot, so hot and different. He was shivering, melting; feeling tense and hard at the sound of his own broken panting mixing with Mino’s slow, alluring kisses. He was aware that he was about to moan for more._ This isn’t right. It shouldn’t feel this way… I’m going to lose my mind…

_Mino’s breathing was controlled, but his heartbeat… Hatori’s mouth became free, and a blissful numbness took over him, leaving him in the dark._

**. . .**

_Shit_.

Hatori covered his mouth with his hand. Perhaps it had been a dream? Nothing was super clear, but that sensation… He brushed his fingertips against his lips and closed his eyes, trying to recall his reaction…

_Shit._

His body was actually feeling it. It hadn’t been a dream. He pressed his hands against his eyes. He’d made a fool of himself. So embarrassing… And how was he going to look at Mino now?

_You really should drink a bit less._

Wait… Had Mino said that because…? If _that_ had happened, of course he’d remember. But he hadn’t said anything.

“What the fuck is going on?” he whispered to himself.

The door of the restroom opened and someone went in. Hatori was trying to calm down when he heard Mino’s concerned voice coming from the other side.

“Hatori-san? Are you feeling alright?”

Either Mino remembered everything as well and pretended nothing had happened, or nothing actually had happened and his body and mind were playing tricks on him. He let out a long breath, mustering all his courage, and he unlocked the door.

“Mino-san…” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat, trying to regain composure. “You might think it’s silly, and it feels a little like déjà-vu but… Can I ask you about what happened last night?” _No way._ That wasn’t clear enough, was it? He looked around nervously, making sure there was nobody else there. _Come on, Yoshiyuki, just say it._ “Did we… kiss?”

Mino snorted. “You’re usually a serious man, but I never thought you’d be asking me those things with that face.” He patted him on the shoulder and laughed. “I thought your stomach was upset, and it turned out to be only this! Come on, let’s go back to the others. Takano-san’s getting impatient, and you know what he’s like when he’s hungry.”

Hatori felt the much needed relief coursing through his body. He washed his hands and the cool water seemed to bring his out of his stupor. It had been a dream after all. But still, there had to be some hidden meaning to Mino’s presence in his dream, right?

“Ah, but…” Mino stood behind him, locking eyes with him in the mirror. “It wasn’t a dream. It was a one-time occurrence, so don’t worry too much. We don’t need to talk about this now – or ever, for that matter.” He opened the door. “Come back to the office when you’re ready, Hatori-san…”

**\-----**

** **


	10. Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamato is back. Hatori talks to Chiaki about his relationship with Mino.

**Day Twelve**

“Sorry. It must have been quite shocking to remember it so suddenly. I really shouldn’t have done it.” Mino’s fingers drummed against the lid of his bag as they walked towards Yamato’s school. “You were drunk and---”

“I started it, didn’t I?” When Mino didn’t reply, Hatori sighed. “Look… Let’s agree on the fact that both of us got carried away.”

Mino shook his head. “You weren’t in a position to refuse---”

“Oh, now I remember what my position was,” Hatori interrupted him. “And yes, I’ll admit that I drank way more than I usually do. I certainly won’t be drinking for a while. But I was surprised because you said it yourself: you’re not into men.”

“And you’re only interested in Yoshino-san.” Mino let out a deep breath. “I’ve known that for some time and yet I went and did that… I really don’t want to be in the middle of anything. That’s why you should forget about it. I’ll take responsibility for that. I’ll even apologize to Yoshino-san myself, if that’s what it takes. But first, I think you two should sit down and have a long talk. You obviously care for each other. So let’s not make a big deal out of what happened. It was just a kiss.”

Hatori stopped walking and watched Mino. He couldn’t explain why he felt a slight irritation at the thought of Mino dismissing his actions so easily. “I’ll properly talk to Yoshino as soon as I can. But will you be okay with that?” 

“Oh?” Mino smiled. “Why wouldn’t I?”

 _“It was just a kiss,”_ that guy had said. _Yes,_ Hatori told himself, _I understand that. So why does it feel like it was something else?_ He’d had many lovers, but he couldn’t recall if they’d had a particular way of touching or kissing him. And Yoshino was definitely special. The thrill of holding the one he’d believed to be unattainable had been a powerful force, almost like standing on the edge of a cliff. Make a false move and everything is over. Years and years of friendship would be destroyed if they couldn’t trust each other.

But wasn’t that why that situation had begun? Because he was unable to trust Yoshino. No, that _was_ possible. What he couldn’t forgive was the lies Yoshino had told him in order to protect Yanase. Hatori knew that he was far from perfect, but lying wasn’t something that he wanted between them. But what would be the use of Yoshino knowing what had happened between Mino and him if it would never happen again? Holding Mino, or being held by him… It was so confusing and unexpected. It would have been unthinkable if his heart had been filled by Chiaki, but now? He wasn’t sure anymore.

He sighed, feeling that he was just going in circles. There was something else there, something that he could _sense_ , but that he really couldn’t put a finger on. It was eluding him, and knowing that it was useless to think that way, he let it go.

* * *

Never had Hatori felt as observed as when he stood before that child. His short brown hair was slightly longer these days, making him look like a smaller version of his father. However, his large steel-colored eyes were expressive, and at the moment they were fixed on Tori’s face. The last time they’d met, Yamato hadn’t really interacted with any of them except for Onodera, so it truly felt as if he was being inspected carefully. Even if he was Mino’s adoptive child, he had the same atmosphere that Mino had when he got serious. “Long time no see, Yamato-kun, though it's more like a 'nice to meet you', isn't it? I’m Hatori.”

Yamato bowed. He then turned to his father and tugged at his sleeve. “He’s younger than you, Papa,” he whispered.

“Everyone’s younger than your poor old father,” Mino chuckled, slinging Yamato’s sleeping bag over his shoulder and offering him his right hand. “By the way, you’ll be sleeping with me tonight. Hatori’s still staying in my room.”

The child seemed to brighten up. “I don’t mind. I can show you my book of stamps! I collected all but one, though. Sensei told me I should draw it, but I don’t know if I can. And you can help me put my shells in order!”

“Ah, about that: Hatori got you a special box for that when we went shopping yesterday.”

 _You did?_ Yamato seemed to inquire when he looked up at Hatori.

“Of course, your father had to tell me what to get,” Hatori said humbly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I hope it’ll be enough to keep all the things you’ve collected.”

Yamato blinked and for a while it looked like he was going to ignore him, but then he blurted out, “Then, you can be the first to choose the one you’d like to keep. Ah, but there’s some I’d like to save for Onodera! I found some pinkish moon shells that look like cherry blossom. So, not those ones. But I have a bag full of other things that are just as pretty.”

“I see. Yamato-kun is fond of Onodera-kun, isn’t he?” Hatori smiled. “Onodera-kun always keeps the drawings you send through your father right next to his laptop at work.”

The child’s smile was bright. “I’m glad! Can we invite him over, Papa?”

“Perhaps we will… Or perhaps he’s already told me he’s coming for lunch on Sunday.”

“Eh? Really?”

Mino nodded. “Hatori will be making pancakes. He asked me what flavors you wanted to try, so if there’s something out of the ordinary you want, tell us so that we can get it. We were thinking of calamari, octopus, shrimp, sausage, mushrooms, and mochi.”

“Hmmm… Noodles?”

“Noodles?” Mino chuckled.

“I had that on a trip to Osaka some time ago,” Hatori interceded when he saw Yamato doubting himself. “It’s actually rather good. We can use the yakisoba ones. Better yet if we make some tonight and we use the leftovers.”

* * *

They were finishing having dinner when Yamato exclaimed excitedly. “Tomorrow’s Saturday!”

“Indeed,” Mino said, leaving his chopsticks on the bowl. “I was thinking about what to prepare. Any ideas?”

Yamato shook his head. “Hatori-san, did you do it with Papa?” he asked, making Hatori spit out his oolong tea. “Ah, what a mess!” he giggled.

Mino handed Hatori something to clean up the table. “He’s talking about a ritual we have on Saturday afternoons. We prepare something sweet and give it to our neighbor downstairs to apologize for the noise we make. Oh, I know: we can make castella. What do you think?” Yamato nodded enthusiastically. “Very well. I had to see one of my writers tomorrow morning, but…” He turned to Hatori. “Would you like to visit him instead?”

 _Why are you pushing me in that direction? Do you want to get rid of me so quickly?_ Hatori wanted to ask. It was as if every bit of his body rebelled against the idea of working out the problem, and yet his mind kept telling him that it was high time he went back home. “I will if you want me to. What do you need me to take to his place?”

“Just the final revision of the storyboard. He was glad to know he can now start organizing his assistants’ schedule.”

Ah, so that meant that Yanase would be around. He wondered if that was the reason why Mino was sending him over there. But come to think of it, had he ever told him the reason for his argument with Yoshino? _“I won’t force you to speak about things that don’t concern me,”_ he’d said. Perhaps, if he explained himself properly…

But what exactly did he expect to hear from Mino?

* * *

**Day Thirteen**

The storyboard slipped off Chiaki’s hands. “You… kissed him?”

“Yes.” Hatori bowed his head deeply. “And I apologize. I can blame it on the alcohol, but the truth is that I am not sure why I did it.”

“Tori…” Yoshino’s voice cracked. “Tori, do you… like Mino-san?”

Hatori didn’t reply right away. “It’s not like that.”

“Then, what is it? You’re living in his place, working with him, drinking with him. If that’s what you want, we can do it! We’ve been friends practically since we were born; we know everything about each other…! You like me, and I like you! And we work together as well… How is it different from what we have?”

“Yoshino…” Hatori sighed. “I’m trying to understand this myself. The only thing I can tell you is that the feelings you and I have for each other… They don’t exist between Mino and me. It was a kiss, yes. Just that. Mino wanted to tell you himself. He was truly sorry about it. And if you feel like discussing it with him, you can do so, whenever you want.”

“Then… This definitely means that you told him about us. Can I believe that?” Yoshino slowly picked up the storyboard and squeezed it against his chest. “That the fact that he reacted that way---”

“He says that you and I care for each too much to keep putting off this talk.”

Yoshino let out a sigh. Was it possible to feel relieved and yet sad at the same time? “So… Where do we go from here? Are you going home now that his child’s back?”

* * *

Hatori wondered the same thing as he was opening the door. Realistically, it was time to return home. After Sunday lunch he’d pack his bag. A sweet smell of honey cake welcomed him, and before he could say anything, he heard Yamato’s shout in the living room.

“SPICYYYYYY… MARMALAAAADE!”

As the music started playing, Hatori did his best so as not to be seen, but he managed to take a peek around the corner. Mino was holding a broom as if it was a microphone stand and Yamato was jumping up and down, waving a cloth. Mino’s voice was clear and pleasant. _“What's making you tremble?  Hedonists are the ones who smile,”_ he sang. _“Lying along these frozen rails, there's a future that's been planned without telling us.”_

 _Eccentricity is an obstacle; passion is absorbing. Quite a nightmare, isn't it? Boredom's fighting back._ Hatori’s mind felt somewhat lighter. He’d been focused on his work for so long, doing his part and even more, that he’d forgotten that moments of leisure like this one existed. That man, bouncing and dancing with his son in the early afternoon light; the smell of castella cake still lingering in the air – it almost felt as if he had come back to a place called home. Tearing his eyes off those two, he returned to the entrance and waited for the music to be over. He rattled his keys to let them know that he’d returned. “I’m back,” he greeted them.

“Welcome home,” Yamato greeted back with a shy smile, different from the grin he’d sported a few minutes before, but much warmer than the ones he’d given him so far.

* * *

Hatori went out to the balcony with two glasses of ice tea. “I told him about that thing,” he said, handing Mino one of them. “I took responsibility, so you can save face when you see him next Monday. He took it well.”

Mino leaned back against the balustrade and brought the glass to his lips. “I can’t imagine anyone in his position having a positive reaction to that sort of confession, but perhaps I don’t know Yoshino-san very well.”

“I explained what you said, that it had been just a kiss.”

“Mm-hm.”

“Still… I won’t let go of it, I’m sorry. But I won’t bother you about it either.”

“Fair enough. I can't tell you what to do.”

Hatori stared at his hands. “I realized I’d never explained to you what had happened with Yoshino.”

“I recall telling you there was no need, so don’t worry.”

“Still… If I wanted to speak about it someday, would you hear me out?”

Mino smiled. “Of course.” He patted Tori on the arm and walked back into the apartment. “By the way… Yamato asked me if you were going to stay for a few more days.”

“He did, huh.”

“Yes.”

Hatori thought that Mino’s back was slightly tense. “Tell him I think I will, if you’ll have me.”

Mino nodded and walked away.

**\-----**

** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Spicy marmalade" is a song featured in Gravitation. I'm particularly fond of its live version (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mFWRPczxRc) though in reality Mino's voice actor sounds like this when singing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqpqlT_4dzU).
> 
> Castella always reminds me of Hybrid Child.
> 
> Next update will be in March. Thanks for reading!


	11. Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Maiden Group (minus Takano) get together at Mino's house for a lunch party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place during chapter 4 of Kotoba.

**Day fourteen**

The bell rang almost timidly. Still, it was loud enough for Yamato to turn around and shout, “Papa, he's here!”

“Yes, yes, he's here. Hatori will let him in. Now come on,” Mino said, pressing his hand against Yamato’s forehead to protect his eyes from the lather, “stay still and let me rinse this.”

“Onodera’s here!” Hatori announced, knocking at the door.

“We knooow! We'll be done in a minute.”

“I'll see him in, then.” Hatori knew that the child had been overly excited for hours to the point that he'd spread that enthusiasm to his father and Hatori himself. He opened the door and found Onodera clutching at the strap of his bag. “Welcome. Come in,” he said.

“Oh? Ah! I wasn't expecting--- I mean, thank you! Sorry for the intrusion, I'll be in your care!” Ritsu babbled, bowing repeatedly. “I brought dessert!”

 _This guy doesn’t socialize much,_ Hatori thought. He took the assorted bag from him. “I'll receive it, then. Thank you. Mino is finishing showering Yamato. You're really loved, Onodera-kun. Yamato wouldn't stop staring at the clock, hoping to make Sunday come faster,” he chuckled.

Ritsu gaped at him. “Ha-Hatori-san… I'm sorry… I didn't know you could…”

“Smile?”

“Spontaneously... Away from work… Or something like that.” He looked around the apartment. “Ah, what a nice place! So neat, and there's plenty of sunlight!”

“Not that we get to enjoy it much. We're never here during the day.”

Ritsu hung his bag and his light coat and turned to Hatori almost hesitantly. “I didn't know Hatori-san also lived here.”

Tori put away the dessert in the fridge and inspected the ingredients for the pancakes. “Temporarily. It's been around two weeks now.”

“Ah, I see. It's a temporary arrangement, I see. Is your apartment being fixed?”

Hatori wondered what to say. It seemed as if it was never easy to explain the reason. Yamato hadn't asked, and he didn't think that Onodera would believe anything he said. Although perhaps he would, considering how slow he usually was when it came to realizing things… “No, actually---”

“Come on, Yamato,” Mino chuckled as he entered, Yamato clinging to his shirt. “Here's the Onodera-kun you've been chattering about. Don’t go feeling shy now.”

Onodera beamed as he bent over. “It’s nice to see you again, Yamato-kun! Thank you for all the drawings you’ve sent me. Your father told me you went to the beach recently, so I’ve brought you some books about the ocean. Will you take a look at them?”

Mino looked down at his son and raised his eyebrows gently. Yamato let go of him and bowed at Ritsu before walking over to where he was. Mino smiled and went into the kitchen area. “There’s a sweet side to Onodera, don’t you think?”

“Quite different from the loud, feisty character he is at the office,” Hatori murmured as he laid out the toppings for the pancakes, “when Takano-san is around.”

“Aren’t we all a little different in private?” Mino noted, helping him out.

“Perhaps. Except you and Kisa. You behave the same and have the same closeness, in public and in private.”

“Ah… That doesn’t make you jealous, does it?”

The question, made in hushed but amused tones, took Tori by surprise. “That’s not what I meant,” he replied, but he seemed to be musing over something. “But you might not want to ask that sort of question in the future. I thought we’d agreed on keeping some distance.”

“Oh?” Mino said, approaching him slowly. “Are you saying we’re too close now?”

“Are you trying to provoke me?” Hatori smirked.

Mino’s grin widened. “Looks like you’re starting to get to know me, Hatori-chan.”

Before Tori could reply, the bell rang once more. Mino excused himself before going to the door.

“Eh? Ricchan’s already here? How unusual!” Kisa’s cheerful voice immediately reached their ears. “I’m sorry I’m late. Did he bring the dessert? Because I only brought some snacks…”

“It’s more than enough. Hatori’s already prepared lots of food,” Mino said as they went into the kitchen area, “but I guess there’s nothing wrong in having more options.”

“Keeping your options open, Minooo?” Kisa teased, leaning on his coworker. “If so, I---”

“Mino, could you help me out a bit here?” Hatori asked in his classic serious mode. “Kisa, you can join those two and maybe set the table.”

Kisa blinked. “Okaaay,” he said as he cast an enigmatic look at Mino before walking over to where Yamato was sitting with Ritsu. “Hello! Do you remember me, Yakkun?”

Yamato bowed his head but didn’t say a word. Instead, he scooted a bit closer to Ritsu.

“Maaan… I feel a little rejected today,” Kisa whined at Ritsu. “Hatori’s just given me a ‘stay away from Mino’ look, and now this. Ricchan, hold me!” he said, clinging to Ritsu’s arm.

“Ki---Eh? What... Kisa-san!”

“Wait!” Kisa exclaimed, pulling away. “Takano-san isn’t here, right?”

Ritsu tilted his head. “Why?”

“No reason!” Kisa chirped, resting his head on Ritsu’s shoulder. “Ah, this is a nice book! Did you bring it for Yakkun? Talk about memories – it was a must-read at elementary school!”

“Yeah. It was one of my favorites growing up,” Ritsu smiled. “But what did you mean about Hatori-san?”

“Ah, you don’t know?” Kisa gave him a sly smile. He moved closer and murmured in his ear, “I can’t say much because we’ve got company, but the last time I hung out with those two, there was this fluffy air around them that felt pretty domestic…”

“Hatori-san said they were living together temporarily.”

“Yes, but do you know why? Because I’m dying to know.”

“Oh?” a voice said behind them. “So you’re _dying_ to know, Kisa? Really?” Mino asked, a grin plastered in his face.

“Eeek!” Kisa squealed, scrambling back.

“Kisa, the table!” Hatori shouted from the kitchen.

“Yes, sir!”

“Don’t mind him, Ricchan,” Mino said, as he tousled Yamato’s hair. “I’m glad you’re having fun, but let’s put the books away since we’ll be having lunch, yes?”

Soon, the table was covered with many different dishes. The air was filled with warm scents and excited chatter. Hatori and Mino quickly made the pancakes and brought them over in an impressive pile.

“So savory!” Onodera cried out, almost tearing up. “Hatori-san, this is delicious!”

“Ricchan,” Mino asked, giving a noodle pancake to Yamato, “what do you usually eat? Convenience store food?”

Ritsu blushed. “Sadly, yes. I don’t have much time left to cook once I get home.”

“I see. I was like you for a while, but now I have no choice,” Mino grinned. “Having Yamato by my side forces me to eat healthily, so I guess that means I’m lucky.”

“I cook my own meals as well,” Hatori said, quietly picking a pickled plum.

Ritsu turned to Kisa, who beamed. “My meals are homemade too,” he said.

“I feel terrible now,” Ritsu groaned.

“Ah, but I’m sure you’re not alone,” Kisa reassured him, patting him on the back. “Takano-san also has a pretty irregular schedule, so he probably eats poorly---”

Ritsu shook his head. “He actually cooks his meals most of the time.”

“Oh? Do you ever eat together?”

“Eh? Ah, no, actually…”

“Takano-san looks like a guy who likes to have his privacy, since he’s always respecting---”

“That guy’s nothing like that!” Ritsu almost shouted. “He barges in whenever it---”

“Eh? What’s that?” Kisa’s eyes were sparkling. “Does he take food to your place, then?”

“Uh… Well, he sort of… lives next door to me---”

“EH? COME AGAIN?”

“Kisaaa,” Mino chuckled, noticing the intense blush creeping up Ritsu’s face. “Keep it down. But well, that explains why we sometimes see you together at the station, since you both go in the same direction…”

“Ah haha, yeah!” Ritsu chuckled nervously. He felt Yamato staring at him. “Yamato-kun?”

Yamato raised his chopsticks and showed him a piece of pancake. “Say _aaah_ …” he said, as he fed him.

“Mmm! Tasty!” Ritsu said, thankful for the interruption. “Now it’s my turn...”

“It’s a good thing Takano-san isn’t here, Yakkun,” Kisa said in a singsong voice, before having his foot stepped on by Mino.

“So who makes _your_ meals, Kisa?” Hatori asked. “Because I really can’t imagine you cooking.”

“Ah, that would be my lover. They’ve been learning for a while now from someone who works at a bar, so I reap the benefits.”

“Good to hear that things are back to normal,” Mino smiled.

“Well, yeah… There has been some development.” Kisa blushed but he looked at Mino with bright eyes. “We’ll be getting married when they finish their course.”

Hatori dropped his chopsticks and Mino clapped.

“Congratulations!” he grinned. “I suppose the wedding will be in France?”

“Yes! I’ll only have to reside there for a month before the set date.”

Hatori looked at Onodera, who was still stunned and not hearing a word of what Yamato was saying. Of course he was stunned as well. Kisa’s partner was a man, as far as he remembered? It wasn’t as if he didn’t understand the civil union between two men, but he wondered how those two would face their families. He thought of Chiaki and his mom, and his own parents as well, and brave as he considered himself to be, he didn’t know if he’d actually be able to be frank and reveal the nature of their relationship.

He took a look at Mino, who was cheerfully but discreetly letting Onodera into Kisa’s affair. Would it be easier for that guy? He’d already been married. He had a child. His parents wouldn’t have any further expectations. For Hatori, life would certainly be simpler if he fell for a guy like that…

 _What a selfish thing to say,_ he thought. But then again, why was he with Chiaki? Could it be that he felt guilty for “leading him astray”? That guy used to be straight, and so did he… But maybe he wasn’t? Because right now, he had the slight suspicion that the reason why he hadn’t forgotten the taste Mino’s kiss had left in his mouth was…

“Yoshiyuki...” Mino whispered in his ear, making him jolt. “Oh, sorry! You looked a bit lost for a moment!”

“Don't be jealous, Hatori-san. I'm sure you will soon find a partner as well,” Kisa teased him. 

Hatori shook his head and took a sip of his ice tea. “I’m wishing you the best, but I’ll admit I’m a little curious as to how you two are going to fight the greatest monsters a relationship can face.”

“What would those be?” Ritsu asked.

“Time and distance.” Hatori left the glass on the table and grabbed his bowl of rice.

“I don’t think those are the worst things that could happen,” Mino argued. “It is true that they’re formidable, but… If there’s a real connection of minds and hearts, however long the bodies are apart won’t matter. After all, don’t we all know that it’s our first love the one that we’ll never forget?” he asked Hatori seriously.

“I thought the phrase was ‘First love never lasts’,” Hatori replied.

“So? Are you saying you were capable of forgetting your first love and moving on? Are time and distance enemies or allies, then?”

Kisa’s eyes darted from one to the other and he raised his hands. “Well, what do _you_ think the worst enemies are, then, Mino?”

Mino sighed. “Indifference. Half-heartedness. Maybe I’m saying this because it’s the ones I had to fight… Though I can’t say I was victorious. But I think that the hardest thing for a lover is to see the one they love unable to give themselves whole-heartedly. It’s so easy to take and forgetting to give something in return.” He scoffed. “Then again, I suppose I’m the loser here, so perhaps you shouldn’t be taking my advice.”

“What do you think, Onodera?” Hatori asked bluntly.

“Eh? What do _I_ think?” He blushed. “Well, I haven’t had time to consider it…”

“Would you say that spending time together is crucial to a relationship? Won’t that connection be severed by being miles and years apart?”

Ritsu stared into his glass pensively. “Lately I’ve been wondering about that… Perhaps, upon meeting again, things would be different. Not necessarily bad. Just… different. Feelings are living things, right? People change, so naturally, feelings also change. A different form of love might arise, one more suitable to the present…”

“Different, huh?” Kisa said. “That can also be scary. But I guess that nothing beats reality.”

“What do you mean, Kisa-san?”

Kisa smiled. “I won’t say much, but… I was concerned about my lover’s future happiness if we stayed together. And it was foolish of me. Wondering if I wouldn’t be leading them away from the life I thought they deserved. You know, what’s expected. I can’t say I’m great with children or that I even want them, but I thought they’d be a great parent. I thought about whether their family would accept me and my irregular job, or my little talent…”

“Don’t be like that, Kisa,” Mino reprimanded him gently.

“Ah, don’t worry! I don’t feel like that anymore. But it’s true that I projected a lot of my fears onto our relationship, and I never even bothered to ask them if _they_ were concerned about it.”

“That just goes to show that a relationship is something between two people,” Mino sighed. “One-sided things never amount to anything good.”

Hatori nodded reluctantly. “Perhaps. So what do you think about indifference and… what was it, Mino? Half-heartedness?” His serious eyes were fixed on Mino and he was aware that he had probably sounded irritated. _Why,_ however, he couldn’t explain.

“Um… That is…” Ritsu found himself at a loss for words. “I suppose that, in most relationships, half-heartedness is a natural result of having been hurt once. I’m not sure how to explain it…”

“You mean, like the plot of _Café Nostalgia_?”

“Ah, Mutou-sensei’s sequel to _Whimsical Café,”_ Mino commented. “The cute waitress who becomes a nurse and ends up taking care of the child of the guy who’d been her first love and who’d broken her heart…”

“But it turned out that it had all been a misunderstanding,” Tori remarked. “Still, she was unable to forgive him, even if she genuinely desired to be with the guy…” He went silent as the voices of the others grew distant. Perhaps Kisa had a point, and miscommunication _was_ a deal breaker. If he’d tried to understand Chiaki better, if he hadn’t been so indifferent to the little things… That was why Yanase was such a threat to him. That guy didn’t have to try hard to match Chiaki’s interests. Those two had managed to maintain their friendship. So where did his friendship with Chiaki come from? Had it been born purely out of habit? If so, couldn’t it go back to the way it was before he’d done _that_ to him? How could he have expected that things would be fine between them after that start? He covered his mouth, feeling a bit sick.

“Aaah, now I understand what you mean, Ricchan,” Kisa said, patting the arm of his co-worker. “Though that sort of thing never happened to me…”

“Papa,” Yamato called softly. “Is Hatori-san feeling well?”

Hatori raised his eyes and smiled weakly. “Yes, don’t worry. I probably had a little too much to eat. I just need some fresh air.”

“Let’s go to the balcony, then,” Mino suggested as he stood up. “Ricchan, can you stay with him and Kisa?”

“Sure,” Ritsu smiled. “Yamato-kun, let me know when you’re done eating, and then you can show me your collection of shells…”

* * *

“You do look a bit pale,” Mino said, handing Tori a glass of sweet tea. “You’ve worked hard, even today. Thank you. Yamato seems truly happy.”

Hatori nodded and pressed the glass against his forehead. “The day’s hotter than I expected.”

“Want me to get you extra ice?”

“No, it’s fine. You don’t need to stay with me. You’ve got other guests.”

“I know. But _they’re_ guests. You’re part of this house now.”

 _Don’t say those things if you don’t mean them,_ Hatori thought. There was a slight breeze playing with Mino’s longish hair as he rested his arms on the railing. Hatori wondered if he ever felt the need to tie it up, although he was fully aware that Mino always tried to hide his face. So much he didn’t know about that guy, and when he said those things…

“I was thinking I should properly talk to Yoshino-san tomorrow,” Mino said.

 _Yoshino_ -san, not _Yoshikawa_ -sensei. Hatori’s fingers wrapped around the glass and the ice cubes clinked. “What for?” he asked. He didn’t want to know the answer, though. Something inside him just knew that whatever Mino said would not be what he expected to hear. He’d been trying to dismiss that strange feeling he had every time they were on their own and this just made it harder. _I don’t like him,_ he said to himself. _We don’t like each other that way. Yoshino is special. I love Yoshino. Mino is just… different._

_Mino is different._

“What for, I’d like to know that myself,” Mino mused. “I guess it is because of what you said, about not letting go of that kiss between us. And when I said we shouldn’t make a big deal out of it, I really meant it. It isn’t as if I want to make love to you. Not because you’re a man, but because sex doesn’t really matter to me.” He turned towards Hatori properly. There was a smile lingering in his lips that didn’t match the look in his eyes. “So I guess that what I said about not being into men was a half-truth. It’s easier to say that instead of explaining how I really feel about intimacy. I’m sorry. I just can’t say it any other way. Sex just doesn’t have a hold on me, Hatori-san.” His mouth tightened into a thin line and Hatori could see that he was struggling to speak further. “My ex-wife’s parting words were something about me being broken as a man. I guess she was right, but I couldn’t justify my actions… so I just smiled at her, and let her go.” 

“That’s not---”

“I know. I know I’m not broken,” Mino interrupted him. “Now I know. I’ve accepted myself, and I know I’m not the only one in the world who feels this way. It doesn’t bother me at all. But I can’t ask someone to accept that part of me if they have other expectations. Kissing, cuddling, I don’t mind, but other things, I just don’t… I’m not repulsed by it, but I can’t---”

“Stop.” Hatori reached out and grabbed him by the hand, squeezing his fingers. “You don’t need to say anything else. Not to me.”

“I don’t?” Mino asked, looking down at their hands. “So, that’s the truth. Ah… Looks like I’ve just been misreading this… whatever this is.”

 _So it was like that after all,_ Hatori thought, starting to see that strange feeling taking shape, setting in comfortably, as if it had been there for some time. His fingers didn’t completely let go of Mino’s, entwining with them gently. “You… weren’t wrong. I wasn’t wrong either.” Hatori tilted his head, trying to capture Mino’s attention. “When you offered me to stay, I… It felt right. From the very beginning, this place felt like home, but I just couldn’t say why.” His voice was now soft. “I feel comfortable around you. Just talking, and hanging out together.”

“As friends, then?” Mino asked, watching him quietly.

Tori’s heart skipped a beat. Perhaps it was just a friend that he needed, and it was easy to talk to Mino, so if that was all… But there had to be a reason why he couldn’t get rid of the feeling those lips had left in him. He shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “I can’t say.”

Mino withdrew his hand. “You don’t need to say anything now. But that’s why I need to talk to Yoshino-san. I wouldn’t feel comfortable otherwise.”

“But I should be the one---”

“You have already said something to him, haven’t you?”

**. . .**

_“So… Where do we go from here? Are you going home now that his child’s back?” Yoshino asked, watching him with those pure eyes of his. He was too good for him, Hatori knew it. He’d always known it. “There’s no need to stay…”_

_“Mino will probably want to go back to the way things were,” he replied, standing up to leave._

_“Tori…” Yoshino dropped the storyboard on the coffee table and stood before him. “Don’t look away.” His hand rested on his chest, a delicate touch that he’d never shown before. “Just tell me…”_

_“If Mino wants me to leave, I’ll leave.”_

_“And if he asks you to stay?” Yoshino was still waiting for a reply that he didn’t want to give him. Not then. Not yet. But why he was still reluctant to part ways with Mino, he couldn’t tell._

**. . .**

“It’s more what I _couldn’t_ say than what I _did_ say,” Hatori admitted. “I just think that, since you’re working together now, you shouldn’t risk it – after all, Yoshikawa-sensei _is_ a best-seller.”

“When you put it like that, it is a bit intimidating,” Mino chuckled. “But you said it yourself: you don’t know what this is, and neither do I. We don’t know if it can be something else. But if it were like that, then I wouldn’t want to be disrespectful. Yoshino-san doesn’t deserve that. Nobody does.”

“It’s starting to sound like you won’t make me choose between you and him.”

Mino shook his head. “Don’t misunderstand. It isn’t just _your_ choice. If it became something other than a friendship, it would end the moment one of us said no.”

Hatori squinted. “This… isn’t the first time you’ve thought about this, is it?”

Mino’s smile felt sincere but sorrowful. “It isn’t. I guess it’s something you want to consider when you’d like to keep someone by your side even if you can’t give them everything. You think of alternatives, things that will fulfill them. Friends, lovers, it doesn’t matter. When you care about someone, don’t you want them to be happy?”

“Excuse me,” Kisa said, sticking his head out. “We’re about to have some dessert, care to join us? Hatori, are you feeling better?” When he saw Hatori nod, he grinned. “That’s great, because Ricchan’s brought a cake to die for.”

“I’ll prepare the tea, then,” Mino offered, walking back into the apartment. He wasn’t surprised to find Yamato helping Ritsu while singing loudly.

 _“You can work enough on the ship with the pitch and roll,”_ Ritsu sang.

 _“’Cause you to have courage in your tough body!”_ Yamato sang back at him.

“What’s this?” Mino asked, amused. “Are we doing popular sea shanties now?”

“Seems that Yamato-kun learned it at the camp. By the way, he was telling me about some of his friends going to the aquarium,” Ritsu told him as he dabbed his hands with a kitchen towel.

“Ah, yes. He did mention that yesterday.” He looked at the child. “If you want to go there, you just have to say it.”

Yamato looked hesitant. “But I heard you talking to Hatori-san yesterday, saying that you’ll be busy till the end of the summer.”

Mino sighed, but before he could answer, Ritsu raised his hand. “Ah… My schedule is going rather smoothly, so if you want, I could take him there.”

Yamato’s eyes sparkled and he swiftly turned to his father. “I don’t know,” Mino said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wouldn’t want you to feel burdened. You know how excited this kid can get when he’s outside…”

“I will be good!” Yamato exclaimed, clinging to his father’s shirt. “I will not let go of Onodera-kun’s hand! Can we go on a date?” he asked boldly.

“Oh! Well…” Ritsu bowed, blushing slightly. “I will take care of him.”

“Maybe I should ask if Kisa or Hatori can go with you,” Mino said, trying to stifle his laughter.

Ritsu looked down. “I uh… I can ask Takano-san to tag along, if you’d feel safer.”

“Oh, it’s not that I don’t trust you, Ricchan!” Mino hurried to say. “But you know…”

“I understand, don’t worry. Would that be okay, Yamato-kun?”

Yamato nodded enthusiastically, bouncing a little.  

* * *

“Thank you for taking the leftovers,” Mino said, handing Kisa and Onodera some bags. “Even if it’s the three of us in the house these days, we may have gone overboard. And thank you for taking that to Takano-san, Ricchan.”

Ritsu nodded. “It’s no problem. Yamato-kun, thank you for the moon shells and the drawings.”

Yamato grinned. “Remember our date, yes?”

“Ricchan! You’re a heartbreaker, aren’t you?” Kisa chuckled. “I’d like to know what Ta---ah wait,” he said, fishing for his phone in his bag. He stared at the screen and blinked. “What… What is this supposed to mean? I’m an old man, I can’t keep up with these youngsters’ kaomoji!”

“Oh?” Mino looked over his shoulder. “I’m not sure either…”

“Let me see,” Ritsu offered. He looked at the screen for a while and seemed to freeze. He quickly recovered, though, and he smiled nervously, “I think you’re supposed to tilt it this way…”

“Oh?” Kisa said, tilting the phone. He squinted briefly but then his eyes grew wide as plates. “So embarrassing! I’m going to kill that person!”

“A message from your lover?” Mino chuckled.

“Yes, my soon-to-be dead lover. Sorry, I have to dash! See you at the office!” Kisa waved as he took off.

“ _Kou_ …” Ritsu murmured to himself.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing!” Ritsu shook his head, but to Mino it looked as if he was pondering something. “I’d better take my leave. Thank you for everything. See you tomorrow!”

“Bye-bye, Onodera-kun!” Yamato waved before he turned to his father. “I really like Onodera-kun, Papa,” he said simply.

Mino chuckled. “I know. Ah, now when we come up, we have to thank Hatori-san properly. He worked quite hard, don’t you think, Yamato?” He tousled the boy’s hair as they walked back into the building. “I wonder how we can reward him…”

*********

** **


	12. Different kinds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mino realizes that compromising might be harder than he thought.

**Day fifteen**

Hatori was sitting in the couch when Mino walked into the kitchen area. “Morning,” he said gravelly.

Mino took a long look at him. “I can tell you didn’t sleep very well. Is something troubling you? Other than my talking to Yoshino-san today, I mean.”

Hatori stood up and walked to the breakfast counter, resting his arms on it. “There’s something I need to tell you… about Yoshino and me.” Before Mino said anything, he hurried to add, “You said you’d listen to me when I felt ready to talk, and perhaps… Perhaps what you hear from me will make you change your mind. Perhaps you’ll decide it’s not worth talking to Yoshino after all, since you would---”

“Hmmm. You think it’s going to put me off in such a way…” Mino turned around and started getting Yamato’s bento ready. “Can you help me with breakfast as you talk, or do you want us to sit down?”

Hatori shook his head as he walked over. “Doing something will help me focus.” His words came out slowly at first, awkwardly talking about that friend that he’d always held dear. Their shortcomings, their time spent together, and even their choice to remain together even after school. Chiaki’s friendship with Yanase and Hatori’s own jealousy, and how he’d felt that he’d be losing his special person if he didn’t do something about it…

“I’ve always regretted it,” he said. “Forcing my feelings, and myself, on him… I was ready to give up.”

Mino hummed softly. “Did you apologize to him properly?”

“Yes.”

“Did Yoshino-san understand?”

“Yes.”

“Did he forgive you?”

“Yes.”

“You know there’s no excuse for that kind of behavior, right?” Mino wiped his hands, turned around, and leaned on the counter. “Are you telling me this ‘just in case’? Would you force yourself on me, then?”

“No! No, of course not!” Hatori shook his head, feeling somewhat sick. “I’d never do that again – not to anyone… Especially not to you.”

Mino raised an eyebrow. “Why? What makes me different?” He grabbed Hatori by the collar, bringing their faces together. “Is it because of what I said about myself? Or is it because you know I’d put up a fight?” He searched into Hatori’s eyes, but he needn’t do that to know the answer: Hatori wasn’t afraid of him. In fact, if his bated breath and his low resistance meant anything, it was probably the opposite. “Ah, I see… You’re not used to being opposed like this, are you?” Mino’s hands slid up Hatori’s neck, his thumbs stroking his jaw. “Could this be something you enjoy, Hatori-san?” He didn’t even need to hear the answer. He let go of him and sighed. “So? What do you want me to do?”

“I will understand if you don’t want anything to do with me,” Hatori murmured.

“Ah, man… I really should stay away, shouldn’t I?” Mino chuckled. “Your jealousy can be dangerous, and I’m not sure it would sit well for the kind of arrangement we’d be having.”

Hatori nodded slowly. “I understand.” He heard Mino stifle a chuckle and looked up.

“Then again, I’m glad you told me about that. Your fight with Yoshino-san over your jealousy… Even if you understand that it’s uncalled for… Seriously, your emotions are those of a child’s.” Mino tousled Hatori’s hair as if to back his words. “You know, I wonder if you have unconsciously been looking for someone to discipline you… I think you may be appealing to the side of me that I keep to myself…”

They turned around when they heard the sound of small footsteps coming in their direction. A sleepy Yamato appeared, rubbing his eyes and still in his pajamas. “Good morning, Papa. Good morning, Hatori-san.”

“Good morning, Yamato. Still not dressed?” Mino looked at the time. “We’ll barely have time for breakfast today. Go wash your face.”

“But I can’t find my Blue Buster t-shirt,” he said sluggishly.

“I think it’s still in the laundry room,” Hatori said, offering him a hand. “Come, let’s look for it together.”

Mino watched them go and his lips curved into the kind of smile that he’d never let anyone else see.

* * *

**Day sixteen**

The day before he’d refrained from asking, but he could no longer hold on. “Um… Is Hatori still at your place?” Chiaki asked, not really knowing if he was ready for the answer.

Mino nodded. “I think Hatori-san will be staying in my house for a while,” he said as he put away his notebook. Their meeting had just finished and they were finally getting organized.

The bunch of papers Chiaki was holding slipped off his hand and scattered on the floor. He immediately knelt down to get them, grateful to be able to hide his face. “Ah, is that so?” he asked, trying to sound casual. “He’d said he wasn’t sure about it. I wonder what made him change his mind.”

“That’s probably something you should ask him directly, Yoshino-san.” Mino’s eyes wandered about the room. “As for us… My son is happy to have someone else in the house, especially since Hatori-san cooks the things he likes. And I’m getting used to his presence. Ever since my wife left, the house had felt a little empty.” He watched Chiaki as he got back on his feet. “In any case, I’m glad you brought up the subject… I’d like to talk with you about that.”

Chiaki swallowed hard. “I’m… not sure what you mean.”

Mino tilted his head and smiled. “Funny. I thought we were both on the same page. Well, then. I may have mentioned that Hatori-san briefly commented on your relationship. I think you should know that he and I don’t have the same type of relationship,” he said after a while. “It is true that we feel comfortable together, and we are… close. Originally I thought that had to do with spending time together at work.” He sat down and invited Chiaki to join him. “I wanted to talk to you today because I want you to hear my side of this, but I do believe that both of you should have a long discussion as well.”

Chiaki wasn’t sure whether he wanted to listen to whatever Mino had to say, but he found it hard to refuse, perhaps because after two weeks of barely hearing anything from Tori, he felt as if he were starving. “I… I just need to know…” He shut his eyes tight. “Did you… with him…?”

“Did we have sex?”

Chiaki’s eyes shot open.

“We didn’t. It’s not going to happen.”

“Then…”

“Didn’t I say that we don’t have that type of relationship?”

“I understand that!” Chiaki shouted in frustration. “Then I don’t get---!”

“I’ve come to care for him,” Mino said.

Chiaki blinked. Tori wasn’t cheating on him. That was good. But he wasn’t going back to his place and he’d rather live with Mino-san. Why? What about their plan of living together? Was it just his enthusiasm that had kept it alive? He’d thought that Hatori had been just as thrilled. Hadn’t he told him he loved him? _Oh no…_ He felt the sting of tears. “I don’t understand…” he said weakly. “I’m his best friend. I always thought that he would choose me.”

“I’m not sure I follow,” Mino said kindly. “But I’m sure that Hatori-san sees you as his special person.”

“Then what are we discussing? You two haven’t had sex, but you did kiss. He told me so.” Chiaki clenched his fists. “I don’t understand why you two are so close. How can that be? I’m the one who’s known him all his life! I’m the one he chose as a partner!” He passed his fingers through his hair. “I thought he was mine. He was always by my side, caring for me. And I--- Why do you think you know him better?”

Mino gave him a strange look, filled by understanding but also a tinge of sadness. “I see now.” He sighed. “Yoshino-san… I think now I get what you two mean to each other.” He lowered his head. “I apologize for interfering. It seems I was wrong all along.”

Chiaki’s jaw relaxed. He suddenly felt guilty, even though he couldn’t say why. “No, it’s… It wasn’t your fault. We were selfish and it appears we got you involved in our quarrel.” He bowed as well. “Please, don’t take it personally.”

Mino grabbed his bag by the strap and hauled it over his shoulder. “I’ll work hard for your story, Yoshikawa-sensei. I promise. You worked well today. Please hang in there.” His voice sounded as light as the smile on his lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

* * *

“---Onodera-kun, and I’ll take my sketchbook with me! I wonder if he can take some pictures of the penguins.” Yamato chatted away as he held his father’s hand on the way back from the daycare center. “And you know what? Micchan is going on the same day! Papa, are there eels in the aquarium too? People don’t eat them, right?”

“Hmm? Sorry, yes, Onodera-kun said he’d be taking you there next weekend…”

“I know that.” Yamato said quietly. “Papa, are you tired? We don’t need to have dinner if you can’t cook…”

“What are you saying?” Mino squeezed Yamato’s hand gently. “Of course you need to have dinner. In any case, there are plenty of leftovers from Hatori’s…” His voice trailed off. It was that feeling, right? It had to be. He was such a failure, thinking that things would turn out fine, that something like that would be possible. A bitter taste filled his mouth and he bit his lower lip to keep it from trembling.

It would be okay. Things could go back to the way they’d always been.

* * *

“I’ll talk to him,” Hatori said, sitting across from Mino. “I’ll tell him---”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“This isn’t about persuading someone. It would be as if you were coaxing him into doing something he can’t even fathom.” Mino threw his head back. “Your kind of love, his kind of love, even mine… They’re not the same. None of us feels the same way. And I could see it in his eyes, you know? He’s kind and nice, even if he’s a bit awkward and hopeless when it comes to taking care of himself. I can see why you feel like both breaking him and protecting him. But it’s your jealousy that brought you here, and it’s his jealousy that convinced me that you should go back…” He turned to Hatori and gave him a half-hearted smile. “You two belong together. There’s no place for someone like me---”

“What do you mean, ‘someone like you’?” Hatori asked. “Do you still believe yourself broken?”

“He doesn’t trust me. You don’t fully trust him, and you won’t unless you sit down and have a proper talk with him. This cannot work if there’s no trust.” He looked up at the ceiling and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. I’ll have to ask you to leave. Tomorrow – no need to rush today.”

“I will collect my things tonight, then.” Hatori stood up and started to walk to the bedroom slowly, but then he stopped.

Mino turned to look at his back. “I can tell that you want to say something, Hatori-san.”

“If this is how you feel… As you said, there’s nothing I can say to persuade you. I will respect your decision. But…”

Mino thought that he’d never seen that look of regret and hopelessness in his eyes. “I know,” he said. “It would have been nice.”

**************

** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter can be called "How to write something and make yourself sad even if that's not what you intended."
> 
> And in case anyone's wondering, Mino comes to understand that the reason why Chiaki was unable to push Hatori away doesn't have to do with physical strength.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little piece of headcanon stuff that I wanted to shake off. "Majime" refers to a serious, reliable person.


End file.
